Ship's Log
by DuchessKenobi
Summary: Darth Bane's visit to Onderon 1000bby sent shockwaves from Iziz to the Northern Sea. At the same time a little girl named Sanya Harkon grew up. She'd rather be a pirate than one of the proper young ladies that she and her twin sister are expected to become. Legends told by the characters whom Lux's Sister and I created for our Ashla Spectrum and Polaris stories. Soniee's namesake.
1. Blood Moon

I wanted a ship for my birthday. You'd think that wouldn't be too tall an order when you come from the most famous ship building family in the Northern Sea. But evidently proper twelve year old Ladies-in-training don't get ships for their birthday. They get journals to jot down all their hopes and dreams for the future.

Maybe that's what Talya's writing in hers. I don't care what the Dxun she writes in hers, aye? If I have to do this to make Mother and Papa happy I'm going to make mine a proper log book. I'll chronicle all of my adventures. That is if I ever get to have any kriffing adventures.

Aye, Talya. I wrote the word kriffing right there on the first page of my shiny kriffing new log book!

Now if only something would happen that I could kriffing write about! But then… a lot of things happened this summer, not to me specifically although I suppose some of them affect me. The rest of Onderon though… It all started with the blood moon…

* * *

No one really noticed when the children of the north's greatest houses all disappeared from Trevon Blackwell's betrothal feast.

Normally such disappearance would terrorize parents who feared pirates docking at Blackhold raring for the chance to snatch a noble child and practically guarantee themselves a fat life. However when in the hall of the most disgraced family in the north, there were far more entertaining things to do than watch children. Like look at the bloodstains still maring the floor of the entrance hall, or snicker at the visibly pregnant bride-to-be.

The missing children had gone looking for the former, spurred on by Sanya Harkon and her wild stories.

It might have been a blood stain, or it might have just been that the stone that the Flints had quarried, when they built the Hold thousands of years ago for Aloisius Blackwell, was just a little darker in that spot. Sanya didn't really know. It was her first time on the Lord's island just like it was most of the rest of the younger kids. They didn't know any better either.

She gathered them to sit in a circle around the dark spot on the stone floor, plopping down with her legs crossed like a little southern savage. Her sister Talya cleared her throat and nodded to Sanya's knee that was exposed by her hiked up dress.

Sanya rolled her eyes but she did arange her legs into a more ladylike position, covered modestly by her skirt. Then when all the others were settled and she had their attention she began her tale.

"Not so very long ago, Lord Blackwell tried to marry off his daughter Dina to the son of Lord Kira." Wasn't that how all the stories started? So-and-so gave their daughters and sons in marriage alliances, and the alliance blew up in a tremendous wreck for one family or both or someone else entirely. "They were gonna unite the north and the south."

"But they didn't," a Bralykburn boy interrupted. "No Blackwell ever married a Kira."

"They were supposed to." Sanya shot him a glare. "Dina had the beast master blood. She could make the brylks come just by calling."

"Just cause she was a beast master doesn't make somebody a Dxun worshiper like the Kiras!" Interjected one of the younger Flints and got a few gasps in response.

Sanya couldn't remember his name but she knew that his older brother was a beast master. Of course he would want to stand up for family.

"Well, maybe," she shrugged. "But they also say she spent most of her journey up in the main top as far as she could get from the blessed salty sea. Looking out for her first sight of the monsters that would take her even closer to the demon moon."

A couple of her audience members made a sign to the salt gods and she held back a grin. Truth was Sanya enjoyed the view from a main top as much as any sailor and the freedom of seeing the whole blue Northern Sea spread around her.

"But her family couldn't just open betrothal negotiations with the Kiras," said a Flint girl who was a little older than Sanya, probably only among the rest to keep an eye on her younger cousins and siblings. She blushed when the attention of the others was turned in her direction. "Even if the bride was amiable to the match."

"Aye." Sanya nodded, sympathetically. All northern girls, the noble ones anyway, were expected to marry whomever their families chose for them. "That's where the Shechels came in."

At the mention of the name a few more made signs to the salt gods. Sanya leaned closer to them and lowered her voice, dramatically. "The Shechels made their living by carrying messages back and forth up and down the river from the Blackwells to the Kiras. Secret messages, plans to end the feud and join their houses. But the Shechels couldn't let that happen. If the Kiras and Blackwells were friends again, they wouldn't have any more need of a go-between."

"So what'd they do?" Another Flint asked. "Send bad messages?"

"Worse." Sanya grinned. "When Dina's ship reached the Shechel lands, right at the rivermouth, the clan boarded and killed every man aboard. They cut the crew down, sliced Lord Blackwell's throat like a bright red smile, ripped Dina down from the main top and stabbed her straight through the belly, to make sure that she'd never give the Kiras an heir."

The children cried out in shock and horror.

"When the ship washed up at Kira fortress, they found the dead men scattered across the deck. And they found Dina, still alive. She lived just long enough to tell the Kiras who did this to her and they commed her brothers to deliver the gruesome news and said they would gladly feed the murderers to their beasts."

If Talya were telling the story she'd go on to describe how Modon Kira wept over his betrothed's body, how he buried her in his own family's tomb, and how he gave up the throne to spend the rest of his days with the beasts thinking of what might have been. But Sanya wasn't about to waste time with a tragic romance where there was perfectly good violence to talk about.

"The Blackwell brothers took their vengeance into their own hands and sailed their navy down to the river," she whispered. "And they set upon the Shechels in the middle of the night."

Suddenly Sanya leaped to her feet to act out the carnage. "They took out the guards quickly with a slash and a jab and then made their way silently to the very heart of the holdfast where they found Lord Shechel in bed with his mistress."

"' _This is for our sister_!' the younger Blackwell brother screamed as he dragged the woman up by her hair and stabbed her in the belly." Sanya mimed the stabbing savagely. "And then the older brother forced Lord Shechel to his knees. ' _And this is for our father, you kriffing bastard_!' And he chopped his head clean off his shoulders in one swipe!" She made a grotesque sound effect.

"Sanya!" her sister scolded.

Several of the children cried out or covered their eyes. A couple of the little boys cheered and one of the Kretash cousins, beautiful eyes wide with excitement, urged her on. "What'd they do with all the others?"

"Well they rounded them all up, all the men and the women and even all the children and little babies," Sanya explained.

"Not all of 'em," the Bralykburn boy frowned. "My Great Grandmother was a Shechel."

"Aye," reminded the Frasier next to him. "But she was already married to your Great Grandpapa so she doesn't count."

"Aye!" Sanya brought the focus of their attention back to herself. "If they were already sworn to another family and weren't at the holdfast when it happened than the Blackwells didn't care so much. But everybody who was at the holdfast, those who had participated in the massacre or went along with it and all their loved ones were herded aboard the Blackwell ships and brought back here to rot in the dungeons right below these very stones." She pressed both her hands against the floor as if she could feel the presence of the prisoners still languishing beneath them.

A few members of her audience squirmed in their places.

"Are they still down there?" the littlest Flint girl cried. Her older sister or cousin or whatever pulled her a little closer and shushed her.

"Nah," Sanya said to the girl a little more gently but then she grinned evilly around at the rest. "Because the Blackwell brothers had something even worse planned."

"Nya, we're in their house," Talya tried in vain to restrain her twin.

Sanya ignored her. "When the brothers brought the Shechels out of the dungeon they hadn't seen the sun for so long they were blinded. But when their eyes got used to the light, they saw that the Blackwells had taken them to a set of stairs that led right into the sea. And right in front of them was Lord Shechel's head mounted on a pike, his mouth still hanging open in a silent scream!"

The children gasped again. "But what's that got to do with the Blood moon?" one of the girls ventured after the initial horror of the thing had passed.

After a pause for dramatic effect Sanya continued. She loved how they all hung on her every word. "Lord Kira was denied his vengeance for the loss of his bride. He had wanted to drag the Shechels along behind his dalgo and then have his beasts gorge themselves on whatever was left. The Blackwells simply chopped off a few heads and let the rest of the clan walk to their death down the sea stairs."

She glanced toward the main hall where all their parents were feasting. "Lord Kira left his throne in Iziz. They say he and his son and grandson after him have spent all that time calling on the powers of Dxun, imploring that justice would be done. And then only a few months ago, we all saw it, the moon turned red and something fell to Onderon. Whatever it was destroyed the whole Skelda Clan. The whole clan but for one… and tonight she sits beside the Heir of Blackhold. Carrying his child?" She shrugged. This last bit she had overheard the grownups whispering. "Or perhaps her child is the son of the Lord of the Demon Moon!"

The crowd of children broke out into their own whispered conversations and Sanya thought her job well done until Talya demanded her attention. "Nya!"

"What?"

"Papa is looking for Harron. They need him for something."

"Alright, I'll go and find him." There was only one reason she could think of why her parents would need the twins' elder brother. They must be negotiating his betrothal with one of the other houses. And of course they'd want Sanya to be the one to go searching for him. Talya they'd want to keep close to show off to the families' eligible bachelors. _See we also have daughters. Just look at this lovely little lady and the other is her identical twin_.

Sanya couldn't be too hard on her parents. She knew they wanted to make the best match possible for each of their children. It was just that out of all the most noble families of the north most of them in this generation had decided to have sons, leaving the Harkon twins as the prizes most sought after.

Sanya would rather not get married at all. She wished not for the first time, that she had been the one born a boy. Harron would be more happy staying at home and raising his norcogs. She'd begged them time after time to let them trade places, to let her sign on the voyages as cabin boy and learn everything there was to learn about the ships her family built and the sea on which they sailed.

" _Let Harron stay home with his cogs and give me the midshipman's commission_!" They only laughed. There's no such thing as a cabin _girl_ or a midship _woman_.

She had snuck aboard once, hid in a rope locker until they were already well underway with the wind in their sails. She'd been six at the time. Harron was eight. By the time they'd found her out it was too late to sail her back home.

No fancy dresses to stuff her into meant she got to knock around in sized down sailors' slops. And while Harron puked his rations over the rail, Sanya was learning the ropes, bravely making her way up through the rigging to the main top and the mizzen top. A young able seaman called Leon Hardicort had been tasked with keeping an eye on her but he also taught her things.

" _You can be my first mate when I get my own ship_ ," she told him.

Leon shook his head with a grin. " _Nah, they don't have mates on pirate ships cause everybody's equal_."

She liked that idea even better, a girl and being equal with the men.

He explained to her further, " _You've got your captain who says where they're gonna go and who they're gonna fight, and you got your quartermaster who carries out the orders as spokesman for the crew, and the boson who keeps everybody in line and following the code_."

Her family had laughed when she informed them upon her return that she had decided her future would be a life of piracy. Her brother even suggested unhelpfully, " _Maybe you could marry a pirate. The Bralykburn heir is only a little older than you_."

" _Maybe you could marry your norcog bitch_." She threw back at him and regretted it immediately, because the comment earned her the worst spanking of her life and the promise that she would no longer be allowed to spend time among the sailors and their vulgar speech.

Their ultimatum had only strengthened her resolve. Sanya spent every free moment she had at the shipyards or the docks learning everything she could, along with an increasingly colorful vocabulary, not that she'd ever be able to use the information.

She sighed as she wandered the halls of Blackhold. Her brother had to be around here somewhere, as did the Bralykburn heir. Yutton was his name. He was fifteen now and would probably be wanting a wife soon enough. Not that her parents would sign her over anytime soon. She and Talya weren't quite twelve and they wouldn't be married until they were at least sixteen.

Talya would never be given to a pirate. She was the perfect little lady. She could ensure them a proper match with the _once_ most powerful family in the north. Well they _had_ been the most powerful family, and would be again even with the current scandal. The Blackwell's older son may have brought home a pregnant southern witch but they still had the younger.

The sound of a scuffle pulled her attention from she and Talya's eventual fate. Sanya ran to investigate, not knowing exactly what she was going to find. Sure as anything it had something to do with her brother.

"Take it back!" the strangled adolescent cry echoed from down the hall.

"Not until you take back what you said about my sisters!" That was Harron, chivalrous as ever.

She followed the sounds of the fight, a meaty punch and a groan.

"What? That anyone would be a fool to marry one of them?" The skinny, dark-haired boy drew back his fist again with almost a grin on his face. "Not kriffing likely."

Sanya already had her knife out of her boot and ready to throw before she rounded the corner into the room. It was another skill she had been practicing for years with Leon and it didn't take her long to size up the situation and pick her target. She let fly with the weapon and was rewarded with a yelp of pain and a thunk as the blade buried itself in the wall behind the combatants.

Harron looked at the knife that had struck half a dozen centimeters from his nose and then back at his sister. "You could have killed me!"

She she stood there glaring at them with her hands on her hips. One of the buns had come loose from her hair and the long red locks spread over her shoulder. She swept the hair back out of the way. "What? I hit what I was aiming at."

The other boy, a little taller than her brother, with dark wavy hair, touched his cheek. His fingers came away smeared with blood. Not a lot of it. It was only a scratch. Though if he had moved his head at all after the knife left her hand she could have taken off his ear. Or taken out his eye, but that wasn't the point. The point was she had stopped the fight.

"Mother and Papa are looking for you," she told her brother.

He swore in Onderonian but he wore an expression that might have been relief that she had ended a battle he couldn't possibly have won. Still before he left the room he pointed a finger at his combatant. "This isn't over." He had to shoulder his way out of the room through a crowd of boys that had gathered.

Sanya went to retrieve her weapon from the wall. She didn't look up at the boy who's blood still clung to the edge of her blade but she could see from the corner of her eye that he had opened his mouth to speak.

Before he got the chance one of the other boys called out, "Blackwell, who gave you the gash?"

Her eyes widened. She had physically wounded a member of the house! Insulting them was one thing, telling stories true or no about their dubious past was another, but drawing blood was something entirely different. Although, as she looked closer and saw the skin beginning to swell and purple around his eye, she knew that she wasn't the first Harkon to give him a good blow. She almost grinned and what surprised her more than anything was the wink she got in return.

It made her angry. Hadn't he just said that anyone would be a fool to marry a Harkon twin? And he, Jamos Blackwell, the most likely candidate to be betrothed to her sister? Nobody insulted Talya in front of her and got away with it.

"Ah, Yutton my friend. Have you yet to be introduced to Sanya 'the knife' Harkon?"

"The knife, eh?" The older boy towered over her. At fifteen he had just begun to fill out in the chest and shoulders, thanks also to his hard work on many sea voyages.

Jamos, on the other hand, barely fourteen, was thin as an oar, tall from a growth spurt but with very little muscle on him. As far as Sanya could tell anyway. He might be a wiry one but she knew from a glance who she'd rather have on her side in a fight.

She clenched the weapon in her hand, ready for whatever might come next and stood up to the bigger boy. "Aye."

Yutton grinned at her spunk. "Bet you couldn't hit the same mark again."

"I kriffing well could," She retorted and got a round of laughter from the group of boys that now surrounded them.

"By all means, Lady Knife." The young Bralykburn gave her a mocking bow. "Give us a demonstration."

They were all bigger than she was. She knew they could hurt her if they really wanted to. However they were also, most of them, from families that wished to have somebody like her to give them an heir. Well, if this was her chance to show them that she was more than just a bride to be taken as a prize, so be it.

She stepped back to the spot where she had stood when she first threw her blade, raised the weapon, and then lowered it again and asked, "Am I aiming at the hole in the wall or Blackwell's head?"

That got a laugh and a look of consternation from Jamos before she raised her arm again and launched the knife at the wall. It stuck in about two centimeters to the right of the original mark. She was a little disappointed but the throw still earned her a whistle, a couple of cheers and a pat on the back.

"Not bad." Yutton admitted.

"You think you could do any better?" She challenged. From there the contest evolved, and Sanya was in her element. She was finally being treated as one of the boys. Maybe to them it was just a novelty but she hadn't felt this free since she was on the deck of a ship as a member of the crew.

She couldn't see the escalating frustration in the heir of Bralyk Keep as she repeatedly beat him at every turn. Nor did she pay attention to the look of half-admiration the Blackwell second son was giving her. Why didn't he challenge her, the coward? He just stood there watching, his cheek still bleeding. She had probably given him a scar. He would probably have it for life. And yet he didn't demand satisfaction. She didn't let his scrutiny distract her from her opponents.

* * *

If you have read Some Say I've Got Devil, Polaris, and the continuing saga of Candle on the Water a lot of these family names should be familiar to you the Blackwells, Harkons, Flints, and Bralykburns, along with the Kiras in the southern jungles surrounding the city of Iziz all figure in those stories and most of them grew up hearing the legends of the infamous Sanya Harkon. Some of the first names might be familiar as well, as those families tend to name their children after their ancient ancestors.

I must say a HUGE thank you to Lux's Sister who first invited me to come north and marry my Shara into her Blackwell clan. She has been an invaluable part of the creation of this story and so I must again share any credit with her. Drop us a note and let us know how we're doing! Thanks!


	2. Second Sister

While Sanya Harkon has gained an audience in her feats of knife throwing skill her twin sister is also enduring the scrutiny of a group of the attendees of the Blackwell/Skelda betrothal feast.

* * *

On the other side of the holdfast Talya sat primly with her hands folded in her lap. Her red braid still hung in a perfect plait over her right shoulder. _She_ had not drawn any Blackwell blood this day.

Beside her sat fifteen year old Dalla Flint. The older girl was also perfectly well behaved, although the look on her face was stricken. Across the room her parents were bargaining her off to the heir of Harkon Hall.

Talya tried for an encouraging whisper, "I think you'll really like the Hall once you get used to it and when you marry my brother we'll be sisters."

Dalla made a noise of derision. "It doesn't matter if we get to know each other because you and your twin are just going to be married off in a couple of years anyway."

That was true enough. In fact it might have been Talya's betrothal they were all celebrating to the future Lord of the North if it hadn't been for Trevon Blackwell's folly. Talya didn't mind that though. If Trevon and Miara loved each other than salt gods bless them both. Marrying for love among the nobility of the north was a dream. Not one that was about to come true for Dalla and Herron. And not one that Talya or her twin were likely to enjoy either.

While Papa ranted about his daughter's loss of position, Talya let her mind wander to what she had heard about the happy couple. Trevon had voyaged south on the river after the Blood Moon to try and see what it was all about. What he found was the crater in the ground of what had once been the lands of the Skelda clan. They had been beast riders like the Kiras, masters of drexls. The mere thought of it gave Talya a tingle down her spine. They were said to worship Dxun just like the Kiras.

When Trevon arrived the clan had been completely wiped out, all but for one young woman. She had been put in charge of guarding the last three drexl eggs that the clan possessed. They couldn't be hatched without the fiery breath of one of their parents so they weren't good for much anymore but they were a reminder of her people and the occupation that had made them unique among all other Onderonians. She had brought them north with her. Talya hoped never to lay eyes on them but she was sure her sister would have given nearly anything for a peek.

So anyway there Miara Skelda was, all alone, her family gone, with nothing but three unhatchable drexl eggs and Trevon came off his ship and gave her shelter in his own cabin. He asked her what had happened but it was so awful she couldn't speak of it.

Talya thought it was romantic that she had fallen in love with her rescuer and that they were going to have a baby come autumn. She imagined if she was all alone and some young nobleman came and carried her away…

"Well, now you've got that settled, what are you planning to do with your girls?" One of the gentlemen who were witnessing the negotiations between the Harkons and Flints spoke up and drew Talya out of her daydream. "There's two of them, aye? This one and her identical twin?"

All eyes were on Talya for a moment and she gulped, her own eyes wide and she tried not to show them that she was trembling.

Dalla leaned towards her and murmured, "It's alright, I'm sure any of their holdfasts will be just as fine as the Hall." Talya wasn't sure if the girl was being smug or actually trying to reassure her.

She didn't have time to find out. Mother leaned close to her on the other side. "Where is your sister?"

Talya gave a little cough and then answered her mother in a polite but low voice. "I haven't seen her since she went to find Herron."

"Well, do go and look for her, please. Your father is all but done here and we should be sailing home."

"Aye, Mother." She stood. "Excuse me," She said a little louder and gave a respectful curtsy to the room at large. She kept her gaze down though she knew they were all appraising her like buyers in a fish market.

"You may go, Talya." Her father puffed up proudly at the attention his elder daughter was receiving.

She was glad to be out of that room when she reached the corridor and she wondered if maybe Sanya had the right idea. Talya wished she could be as brave as her sister.

She really didn't begin to know where to look for her wayward twin. Blackhold was vast with many wings and corridors, not to mention the rumored dungeons. Talya supposed she'd have to learn her way around if she was betrothed to the younger Blackwell son like everyone seemed to think she would be.

She wandered hesitantly, trying to remember which way she had come so she could find her way back. Then she heard a cheer coming from an open doorway up ahead along with her sister's confident laugh. "Ha! I bet I could beat you blindfolded!"

 _Sanya was betting?!_ Talya raised her skirts a few centimeters so that she could run faster towards the voices. She rounded the corner into the room just as a big teenage boy was advancing on her twin with a dark handkerchief in his hands.

"Stop!" Talya screeched in alarm. All eyes were on her and as frightened as she was, she managed to cross the room to see if Sanya was alright.

"Lya, what's wrong?" Sanya asked her as if nothing at all was amiss.

"He was…" Talya began and she looked around at the audience. Some of them had knives in their hands but they all seemed to stand a bit straighter in the presence of a real lady. One or two of them even hid the weapons behind their backs, with guilty looks upon their faces. "Are you alright?" she said softly to her sister.

Sanya shook her head with half a grin. "Aye. Why wouldn't I be? We were just having a little fun."

"A little fun?" These were the sons of the men their Papa was even now conversing with about their future. These boys looked every bit as intimidating as their fathers, in Talya's opinion. Though one of them, she thought he might have been a Bralykburn, nodded his head solemnly in her direction.

Talya swallowed and reached out to grab Sanya's sleeve only to find that her twin had walked a few steps away. She hurried after her. Sanya tugged at a small knife that was stuck in the wall as if it had been thrown there. It was stuck fast.

"Want some help?" Another boy asked, which Talya thought was kind of him. The young man had a swollen eye surrounded by a darkening bruise. When he turned she also saw that he had a cut across his cheek and she gave a little gasp.

Sanya just scowled at him. "I can do it myself."

"Nya?" Talya tried again.

With a grunt her twin managed to dislodge the blade.

"Papa is about finished with his business. We'll be leaving soon." Talya told her.

Sanya sighed with disappointment and bent to put the knife back into her boot. Talya had no idea she even carried such a thing. "Alright."

Talya was just glad she was going without a fight. She was glad to be leaving all the curious eyes behind. But a hand reached out to stop Sanya before they could get completely away.

Sanya looked at the hand on her shoulder and then boldly up into the face of the heir of Bralyk Keep.

"This isn't over, Lady Knife."

"You want a rematch?" She smirked. "Anytime!"

Talya grabbed her sister's hand and pulled her down the hall they way she had come. At least she hoped it was the way she had come. In her agitation she may have lost her sense of direction. "What were you doing in there with them?"

Sanya absently swept her loose hair back over her shoulder with a sigh. "One of them insulted…" she paused, "our family. I couldn't let him get away with it." She squeezed Talya's hand that she was still holding and took the lead in the matter of finding their way back to their parents. She had a much better sense of direction as well and she seemed to have already recovered from the excitement of the confrontation. "So Papa has everything squared away?"

"For Herron anyway." Talya shrugged. "I don't think anything has been settled yet for you or I."

"It won't be long though." For the first time Sanya looked worried. "They'll force him to make a decision soon." As brave as she was in the presence of all those young men she still squirmed at the idea of marrying one of them.

"Well we don't have to worry about that now." Talya encouraged her. "We'll be sailing home within the hour."

"Sailing." Sanya smiled. That always brightened her mood.

They both turned at the sound of a flurry of footsteps that advanced up the hallway behind them. Jamos Blackwell skidded to a stop when he saw them. "Hey," he smiled. He was holding a cloth to his cheek. "Knife, you wanna see the Drexl eggs?" He offered.

He barely acknowledged Talya, the girl he was probably going to be betrothed to. He should have been offering to take her, not that Talya wanted to see them or would ever consider accepting his invitation.

Sanya huffed at the slight to her sister but, to her at least, it was a tempting proposition.

Talya looked back and forth between them and then whispered to her twin, "What did he call you?"

"Knife," Sanya mumbled, considering. "Because I can…" she mimed throwing a blade.

It might have been a trick. He likely just wanted to get her back for cutting him, but if he really knew where they were and he would take her to see them…

"Well?" Jamos asked. "She can come too." He still didn't spare Talya more than half a glance.

Sanya dithered another moment and then decided. "Aye, alright." It really was too good an opportunity to pass up. If he was telling the truth, that is.

"Nya!" her twin objected. "Mother and Papa said…"

"We won't be long." Sanya patted her on the shoulder. "And if they ask we can just tell them you got lost."

"You don't have to come along if you don't want." Jamos shrugged, finally addressing the elder twin.

"Of course she wants to!" Sanya firmly clamped her hand around Talya's and glared up at the much taller boy. "That is if you really know where they are."

His face broke into a grin at the challenge. "Aye! Come on!"

Sanya followed, pulling her twin along behind her. She was on the lookout for any trap he might have laid for the Harkon twins whom anyone would be a fool to marry but nothing jumped out at them.

He stopped suddenly when they reached a junction of the corridors.

"You don't really know where they are, do you?" Sanya sneered.

"Shhh…" He hissed, looking around the corner. Then he whispered back at them. "She keeps them in her room."

Sanya rolled her eyes and Talya tugged her back. "Maybe we shouldn't…"

"We've come this far."

Jamos waved them forward. Then he pointed into the room. "The box on the dresser," he said softly and then waited as if daring the girls to continue.

Sanya was not one to balk at a challenge. She disengaged herself from her sister's grasp and marched boldly to the indicated piece of furniture. There was a box about half a meter long and she touched the lid gingerly before looking back with raised eyebrows, questioningly, trying to disguise the thrill that ran through her.

The boy gave her a nod and as she turned back to the box she couldn't help but grin. She lifted the lid and sensed Jamos and her sister gather closer behind her.

"Well?" He asked in anticipation of her response.

She frowned. "They look like rocks."

"They're not rocks," he grumbled and reached in to lift one of the oblong spheroid objects out of the box. "Here hold it."

"Sanya, don't!" Talya objected.

Sanya ignored her and took the egg in her hands. It was about twice the size of her fist and felt bumpy and slightly warm. She couldn't keep the corner of her mouth from twitching and when she looked up caught Jamos smiling at her.

He lifted the second egg out of the box and handed it to her and then added the third to the pile in her arms. "Heavy, aren't they?"

"Not really." She would never have admitted it to him even if they were. She was managing just fine until Talya grabbed her arm again and caused her to fumble the eggs a little.

"Someone's coming!" Talya shrieked in a whisper.

"Osik," Jamos breathed. He slammed shut the lid of the box and shoved the twins toward an open closet door.

Sanya, never one to hide from a fight, passed the eggs to her sister and started to bend down to retrieve the knife from her boot.

"There's no time for that," Jamos hissed and gave the twins another push towards the closet. He squeezed in with them and then shut the door, engulfing them in darkness all but for a sliver of light seeping in through the crack.

And none too soon. Two voices filtered into their cramped hiding place. One of the voices was male and the other female but neither one of them was really saying anything. It was more like they were moaning and grunting at each other.

Sanya shifted in the tight space so that she could press her eye to the crack in the doorway. When the couple out there managed to stop sucking each other's faces off she could see that it was Jamos's older brother Trevon and his recently betrothed.

"I thought we would never get away from them," the young woman cooed at her husband-to-be while his hands worked at the ties that closed the front of her bodice.

His eyes traveled hungrily from her chest to her eyes. "I promised that we'd leave as soon as we showed them that house Blackwell isn't ashamed of you." He tapped her nose with his finger and then laid his hand on her round belly. "And we're not ashamed of him either."

The bridge of Sanya's nose wrinkled in disgust. "Guess there goes the theory that he's the child of the Lord of the Demon Moon," She mumbled.

"That's what I was trying to tell your brother," Jamos insisted quietly and very close to her ear.

She turned and glared up at him in the dim light. He had the nerve to smile back. She smirked smugly, "Unless she's actually got a spell on him so he believes the kid is his."

Jamos was ready with a reply before Talya whimpered, interrupting him. She was the only one who had noticed that the sounds from outside the closet door had gone quiet.

Suddenly the closet door was thrown open and the three of them were bathed in light. Trevon stood there with his hands angrily on his hips. Miara had gone to the dresser and opened the box. "Trev, they've stolen the eggs!" she shrieked.

"We didn't steal them." Sanya pushed her way out of the closet and pulled her sister along with her. One by one she took the eggs from Talya's arms and handed them to the frantic young woman. She shot a look at Jamos. "He was probably just trying to get us in trouble."

"I wasn't either," he objected. "I just thought you might want to see them is all. I didn't think they'd be back so soon."

"Aye? Thanks a lot," Sanya countered sarcastically. She took Talya's now empty hand. "Come on. Let's get back to Mother and Papa. Sorry I dragged you along," she said to her sister.

This time it was Talya who held back. She called over her shoulder as politely as she could under the circumstances, "Congratulations on your betrothal, a-and the baby."


	3. Of Birthdays and Betrothals

Another Betrothal feast a few months after the Blackhold fiasco, this one at Harkon Hall, celebrating the eminent union of their only son and heir to Miss Dalla Flint. Of course the happy couple is bound to be upstaged by the groom-to-be's younger twin sisters.

It was an absolutely unforgivable insult. Everyone said so. House Blackwell had declined the invitation to attend the betrothal feast for the heir to House Harkon and the celebration of the twins' twelfth birthday that was to be held as part of the festivities.

Of course they had an excuse. Miara Skelda-Blackwell, Trevon's new bride and the subject of so much gossip and scandal at that couple's betrothal feast a few months before, was expected to deliver her first born child any day now. Of course she couldn't travel the short journey to Harkon Hall in such a condition, but it seemed that her confinement affected every other member of the family as well. They hadn't even offered to send an emissary and word was that their younger son was being punished for something he'd done at his brother's feast. He wasn't allowed to attend the party either.

It didn't sound like much of a punishment to Sanya. Jamos Blackwell had been sent away on a long sea journey as midshipman of one of their family's fleet, patrolling the far, boring reaches of their supposed domain.

"I would gladly trade places with you, mate," she whispered to her bedroom window as she looked out at the arrival of the ships of every other family in the north.

It would only have been fair. After all if he was being punished for starting that knife throwing competition, that was really her fault. She would without hesitation have stepped up and taken responsibility. But no. How could a sweet little lady be blamed for such a farce? Surely someone tricked her into it and taken advantage of her delicate nature. It had to be a wild fish tale that she was involved in the event at all.

"Who are you talking to?" Talya asked, entering the room from their shared fresher.

"Oh, no one." Sanya sighed.

"Come and I'll do up your hair."

Talya had already braided her own shining red tresses into a single loose plait that lay luxuriously over her shoulder. She of course would never do anything so rowdy as to let a single strand fall out of place.

Sanya's wild mop on the other hand was more often than not wrangled into two tight buns on either side of her head to try to contain it when she invariably challenged the boys to feats of skill or threw herself into the north sea for a swim or went swinging through the rigging of one of the ships in their family's harbor. There was very little chance she would have the opportunity to do any of those things on this occasion however since there would be so many bannermen and women not letting her out of their sight.

She might still be able to have a little fun, however. "Lya, what if we did my hair more like yours tonight?"

Her sister gave her a disbelieving frown.

"No really. I mean it. It will inspire me to act more… like you." Sanya gave her twin her most innocent and sincere smile. "I know this an important day for Herron and mother and Papa want you and I to make a good impression as well."

If possible Talya's expression became even more incredulous.

"I promise. I will be on my best behavior. They won't even be able to tell us apart."

…

To the family's astonishment and everyone else's delight at seeing the identical little ladies paraded before their guests, Sanya was true to her word. She dressed exactly like her sister. She spoke exactly like her sister. She was even the perfect mixture of humble nobility and sparkling hostess, exactly like her sister.

Even when their Grandmother Harkon brought up the stories about when they were babies… "The only way we could tell them apart was the birthmark on Sanya's bum."

"Grandmother!" the girls cried in synchronized embarrassment.

Everyone laughed and the twins blushed prettily while their grandmother went on to tell everyone that said birthmark was curiously in the shape of Blackhold Isle. "It was an omen, I told them," said the old woman.

"Perhaps," Lord Bralykburn called out. He had already been at the open bar and was no longer quite as able to hold his tongue. "But ye don't see any Blackwells here to verify the fact and claim the lass, do you?" He laughed long and loud and there were several others who joined him.

Sanya noticed however that Yutton Bralykburn, sitting beside his father, was not laughing. He looked disgusted with the turn the conversation had taken. He kept throwing looks at the twins as if attempting to figure out which was the one who had beaten him so resoundingly at the knife throwing competition. She was not about to give him even the slightest hint. She didn't even use her knife at dinner any more than absolutely necessary.

One thing was certain, most of the guests had almost completely forgotten about the Harkon brother's part of the celebration. Fourteen year old Herron sat next to his sixteen year old bride-to-be, Dalla Flint, as somber as the salt god's halls. Once mother encouraged him to say something to the girl. He asked if she wanted him to pass the vegetables. She said no. That was the extent of their conversation.

The only topic that seemed to matter in anyone's estimation was when the next betrothal feast would take place and who the lucky groom would be to snatch up one of the lovely birthday girls at the head table. Not that most of them cared which of the twins they were bidding for at this point. Well a couple of them were still snickering behind their hands about how it might be to see if it was true about that birthmark.

After supper there was more mingling, drinking, dancing. The twins mostly attempted to stay together. Talya whispered to her sister how proud she was that she had stepped up to the challenge and held her tongue and her temper. Sanya squeezed her sisters hand, "It's easy when I have such a wonderful model to pattern myself after."

Talya smiled.

"It is a bit tiring though, keeping it up for so long. I think I might like to find a quiet place to sit down and rest," Sanya admitted.

"If you're tired you can go back to your room. I'll make your apologies." Talya offered compassionately.

"Thank you, sister."

They kissed each others cheek and Sanya slipped away. She didn't really have an idea of what she might do with this new found anonymity. She wasn't really tired. Well, maybe of pretending for so long and keeping perfect posture and not adding all the things she would have liked to add to the talk and entertainment of the evening.

Before she had gotten more than a few steps out of the great hall however someone stopped her.

"Talya?"

She turned to see Yutton standing there looking curiously at her. Oh this was too good an opportunity to pass up.

"Aye," she said shyly, glancing back at the door as if worried about being alone with him.

"I didn't wish to make you uncomfortable," he said gently, keeping his distance.

"You… haven't." She gave him half a smile.

"I'm glad it's you," He sighed with relief. "I've been hoping to talk… I met your sister before."

"She told me." Sanya tried to look apologetic for the treatment he had received at the hand of her... sister.

"Everyone seems to think that she and I…" He scowled. "Well, after the thing at the Hold I never expected that she could clean up as well as she did for this feast. I almost wondered if you actually had another sister and had hidden Sanya away somewhere." He laughed hesitantly as if hoping she would join him in the joke.

She hid a smile primly behind her hand and said softly. "What if I told you we had?"

He relaxed a bit and his smile warmed. "Y'see?" he went on bolstered by her affability. "Everyone thinks that since you're the older… that you should be given to the lords of the north, even though Jamos is a second son…"

She lowered her gaze, acting shy again at his words.

"The Blackwells, they aren't what they used to be. Everyone knows it. Maybe it's time for another family to take the lead." his volume decreased by levels as he spoke. And well it should. He couldn't go around saying things like that. It was borderline treason. Even if it were true.

Sanya let a bit of shock widen her eyes but she didn't speak.

"You deserve better than that." He took a step towards her and she took a step back even if punching the creepy bastard seemed like a better idea.

"I know it's not your choice exactly." His scowl returned knowing he had gone too far.

It wasn't her choice at all. Neither of the twins would have any say in the betrothal negotiations.

"But if you spoke to your parents perhaps they'd take it into consideration."

She wanted to tell him to take his consideration and shove it but she was saved from the trouble. At that moment the real Talya Harkon stepped out of the great hall. "Oh, there you are, Nya. I was hoping I wouldn't have to all the way back to the bedroom to find you. Mother and Papa want us both in the hall when they give the toast for Herron and Dalla."

"Nya?" Yutton looked back and forth between them.

"Lord Bralykburn!" Talya didn't have to pretend her meekness and surprise. "I didn't see you there."

Sanya rolled her eyes and sighed at the discovery. "Do we have to?" She complained.

Yutton balked. "You mean I've been talking to…"

"It's alright." Sanya smirked. "I'm glad to know you think I clean up well when I'm _trying_." She took Talya's hand and led her back into the hall before the young lord could respond. As they went she removed the clasp and shook her thick red hair out of its braid. Before the twins stood again at the head table, the messy dalgo tail marked emphatically which one was better known as 'the knife'.

...

In the morning Sanya sat for a while and watched the boats go out just as she had watched them come in on the previous day. As always when she watched that sort of processional she wished she could be on one of them headed out on a long sea voyage. However, she remembered, that quite a few of those particular boats carried suitors who were vying for either her hand or her sister's. If being aboard one of those ships meant sailing to a life of being some lord's lady in a stuffy old keep she was quite glad to see them go.

She wondered if anything had been settled on that front. She knew that Papa had been up late into the night chatting with the other nobles. She didn't think they were just congratulating him on the fine match he had found for his son. And she didn't like to think that they had been laying out she and Talya's future in the state of drunkenness that she had witnessed before she and her sister were sent from the great hall and off to bed.

At least it seemed they wouldn't be sent right away. Sanya hadn't been told to pack and she could hear Talya in the adjoining room performing her regular morning routine.

There was only one thing for it. She would go and ask Papa himself. She hastily pulled on a simple everyday skirt and shirt, pulled back her hair with a tie without bothering to brush it and skipped down the stairs to the dining room.

"Good morning, Papa." She bounded to his place at the table and bent to kiss his cheek.

He did her the courtesy of giving her a second glance so that he could discern which of his daughters he was addressing. "Sanya, my dear, I was meaning to tell you how grateful I am for your… behavior at the gathering last evening."

She grabbed a piece of toast but didn't take a seat. "The whole crew has to pull together in a storm, aye Papa?"

"Aye? Er… yes, yes." His attention had returned to the papers before him. His breakfast was also going uneaten.

Sanya tilted her head to get a better look at what had her father so enthralled. "What are you working on?" It didn't seem to be betrothal documents so she was glad of that. They looked more like blueprints.

"A new ship we've been commissioned." He was glad he had one of his children to share his passion with. It was a pity Sanya hadn't been born a son.

He began to point out the masts and the set of the rigging. He heard her grunt a sound of derision and looked up. "You see a problem?"

She held out her hand for his stylus, "May I?"

He passed it to her, intrigued.

She took the utensil and made a slight change. "The aft mast should be placed a little further back to balance out the bowsprit."

He looked again. "I do believe you are correct!" He took back the stylus and made the alteration following up with the other changes that needed to be made to compensate.

"There now. What do you think?" He held it out for her approval.

"Aye!" Sanya grinned. "It's perfect! She's going to be beautiful! Who is she for?" She couldn't help but get her hopes up that he might have changed his mind and would consider letting her have her own ship.

The design he was working on now was exactly what she would have liked sleek and trim and ready for the sort of adventures she had always wanted to experience.

"It was commissioned by the Blackwells," he told her distractly, dashing all of her hopes.

"The Blackwells?"

"Aye," his tone brooked no argument but that didn't mean much when it was Sanya he was trying to convince. "They are still the Lords of the North."

"But Papa," she protested. "They have insulted this family. They didn't even bother to come to Herron's betrothal feast."

"The Lord and Lady had their reasons for declining to attend." He rolled up the sketches of that beautiful craft.

"They could have sent a representative," she pouted.

"Their oldest son is about to welcome his heir into the world and their younger…"

"Was already out sailing and could have easily made a detour to the Hall."

He frowned at her. "Sanya, you don't know that and you don't know what other forces are at work here. Besides the new ship is supposed to be a surprise for the younger boy. They couldn't have him finding out about it in advance."

Her mouth fell open in shock and anger. "You are going to build that ship," She jabbed her finger at the rolled up plans. "For that… that…" She couldn't think of a title nasty enough for him.

The word she ultimately chose unfortunately came out of her mouth at the same moment that her mother entered the dining room.

"Young Lady!" her mother started into what would surely have been a grand tirade but Lord Harkon raised his hand before she could really get going.

Sanya however wasn't quite finished. "Are you planning on shipping Talya off to the Blackwell whelp too?"

She heard a gasp. She hadn't noticed that her twin was standing wide eyed behind their mother.

"Sanya…" her father sighed and then beaconed to his other daughter, "Talya."

She stepped out from behind their mother obediently and went to stand beside Sanya and took her twin's hand.

"Girls, I must admit that I sent our guests away from the party last night disappointed."

They glanced at each other with confusion at their father's words.

"I did not sign a betrothal agreement with any of them for either of my daughters."

Sanya uttered a cry of joy and started to thank him but again the patriarch raised his hand.

"I realize that someday I must come to terms with giving away both my girls in marriage to the best men I can find to deserve them. However, I feel that the two of you are now too young to even consider such a thing. And when the time comes I hope you will be happy in the situation your mother and I arrange for each of you."

Talya thanked their parents but in her relief Sanya began to run off at the mouth again, "I spoke with Yutton Bralykburn last night. He said Lya should never be married to a Blackwell because of all the scandal with Trevon and the Shechels and everything and that all they have is a second son and they don't even deserve to be lords of the north anymore. But I think that saying that makes Yutton a traitor so he shouldn't be considered as a suitor either."

Lord Harkon pulled both his daughters towards himself and wrapped an arm around each one of them in a hug. "Thank you for your input, Sanya. You do know that your mother and I have your best interest in mind, do you not?"

"Aye, Papa." the twins chorused.


	4. Nearing Completion

A year and a half after their brother's betrothal, the Harkon twins know that the chrono is winding down before their own fate will be decided. Thankfully Sanya has had a project to work on to pass the time.

* * *

Leon Hardicort sheathed his knife and threw himself down onto the ground, exhausted. "Mercy! I've had enough! Take it easy on an old man!"

He was only twenty and she wasn't always sure if was just humoring her.

"I beat you fair and square that time," Sanya sat beside her sparring partner, sheathing her own knife. She was only a little short of breath and ready to go again as soon as he was.

"Oh, aye. I haven't _let_ you win for more than a year. I can tell you've been practicing since the last time I was in port."

"I've tried." She shrugged. "It's not that easy to get away from tea etiquette lessons."

He laughed. "Ah, come on, I heard you got to have a little fun while I was gone. That construction going on in the warehouse?"

Sanya brightened. "Kriff, Leon, she's the prettiest ship you've ever seen."

"And you've actually gotten to work on her?"

"As much as Papa would allow." She nodded and sat up on her knees. "I've been involved from the design all the way through acquisitioning the supplies and overseeing the construction. I know every beam and line and yard of cloth on her."

Leon smiled at his young friend, "She should be yours by rights."

"Aye. I can hardly stand it that she'll be going to that son of a…"

"Then why are you putting so much effort into making her so fine?" He asked.

"I thought about it." Sanya picked up a rock and chucked it toward the water line. "I could have sabotaged any point in the operation." She sighed heavily. "But with Papa letting me be so involved. It's like my blood is running through her. I couldn't let her be anything less than what she was meant to be."

Just then she remembered something and jumped up. "Would you like to see her?"

"Now?" He mock complained. "I'm still catching my breath after that epic battle."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Come on! I almost forgot! They're taking her out today to check if her hull is water tight! Of course it is." She dragged him up the beach to where they could see the unloading area at the shipwrights warehouse. "Her timbers are fit perfectly snug and she's already been tarred."

Sanya didn't have to say any more. Leon whistled as the shining new hull emerged from her berth. She didn't have her masts yet or any of her rigging but even at this early stage it was easy for the seasoned sailor to see that she was going to be a marvelous craft when she was finished.

"When you're right, you're right. I don't think I could have scuppered her either, even if it meant denying the Blackwelp the pleasure of her."

Sanya gazed wistfully at the craft. "And she should have been mine."

Leon elbowed her playfully. "You know if you were a real pirate, you'd just take her."

She rolled her eyes and was about to make a snappy comeback but then she stopped and thought about it. "What if we did?"

Maybe he was humoring her but he considered. "You do know her better than anybody. If we could put together a good crew…"

"Well you know the men you've served with and there's been a few down at the docks looking for work, former Blackwell sailors who didn't like working for the Lord's fleet. They want something better. We could offer them something better, couldn't we, Leon?"

"Aye." He rubbed the stubble on his chin. He'd have to shave before he went back aboard his ship. Sanya knew the boson of that craft didn't stand for scruffiness even in the able seamen. "I know the men I could ask to join us but as of right now they're signed on loyal to your lord father. Once they broke faith with him there would be no going back for them. They would need to know that you're committed to this as well. You aren't just going to run home to your lady mother when the seas get rough."

"You know I wouldn't do that. This is all I've ever wanted!" She grinned her cheeky grin and her eyes shown with delight at the prospect.

She was thirteen and a half years old. She was a girl. She had only been on one actual voyage as a member of any crew and then they'd only been able to give her the official rank of cabin boy. Other than that she had been on short cruises with her family gussied up in dresses and fine shoes and parasols. Despite all that she knew ships better than just about anyone he knew.

She was small and skinny but she was quick and she knew how to fight with all manner of blades both dueling and throwing. If she had been a boy she would be ranked first or second lieutenant already. She'd actually secretly taken the tests for both positions.

Her tutor, who'd recognized her keen mind, had wanted to challenge her. So on top of the regular reading and writing and arithmetic that her sister was taught she got extra lessons in navigation and ship board politics. While her sister left the classroom to embroider pillows, Sanya stayed back and studied battle tactics and the form and function of weaponry.

"We could do this, couldn't we Leon?" She asked him.

"You have to be sure."

Sanya nodded her head fervently.

"Alright, I've got some time before I have to be back onboard." He was still considering. "I can put the word around to those who are interested and set up a meeting."

"Kriff! We're really gonna do this!" She laughed. Then with a whoop she pulled down his face to her level and planted a kiss on his cheek. "We're really gonna kriffing do this!"

She stepped back quickly, a little embarrassed, and swaggered around to cover the reaction. "Quartermaster Hardicort, gather the crew! We'll be underway as soon as my ship is rigged out!"

She looked back at the uncompleted ship in the yard with longing. "My ship!" She murmured.

He patted her on the shoulder. "She will be, Captain."

…

It was a bit like studying for a test for her tutor. Sanya sat at her desk in the school room and prepared what she would say to her prospective crew members. She had to give them reason to swear their loyalty and their lives to her. Some of them, most of them really, would be breaking their oaths of loyalty to other lords and captains to be a part of this wild unsure venture.

She thought she was all alone when a shadow fell over the sheet of flimsy on which she had been scribbling. Talya picked up one of the sheets she had discarded and looked it over. "Working on a little extra credit?" She asked her twin.

"Something like that." Sanya grabbed back the sheet and wadded it up in her hand.

"You're already Master Flint's star pupil. You don't have to prove anything to anyone."

Sanya went back to her scribbling. "I have to prove myself every day of my life," she mumbled.

Talya laid a hand on her shoulder. "Nobody expects you to be anything other than yourself."

"What I am is not what they want me to be?"

"What do you think it is they want you to be?"

Sanya looked up at her sister. "They want me to be you."

"I don't think…" Talya began to protest but Sanya rolled her eyes before she could finish and went back to her scribbling.

"Mother and Papa want to see both of us." Talya delivered the message she had been sent with and then pulled a chair over and sat next to her twin. "Maybe it will be better than you think. Papa's let you help with that…"

"He's just trying to make up for sending me off to marry some kr-" she stopped herself before she swore. She knew it bothered Talya whenever she did and it wasn't her sister's fault. She laid down her stylus deliberately so she didn't find a use for it as a weapon. Not that she would ever use such a thing against her sister, but the others... "You said they wanted to see us?"

Talya nodded and her twin began to straighten up her things and get ready to go.

"Nya." Talya stopped her before she could run right off.

Sanya could tell by the tone of her sister's voice that it was something important that she had to say.

"I know that you… aren't thrilled with what our parents have planned for us. It's not really their fault. It's just the way things have always been done."

"Well maybe things shouldn't be done…" Sanya started up again and her twin raised a hand to stop her.

"I want you to know that whatever they choose for me," Talya went on, "that I'm okay with it."

"Lya…"

"No, I don't want you to try to fight it," she insisted. "I know that sooner or later I'm going to be betrothed. I'd rather enter into it happily, willingly even. And… knowing now, when I know the wedding won't actually happen for a couple more years, I can get used to the idea, maybe spend some time getting to know my future husband."

Sanya really didn't want to hear this. She would fight her own betrothal tooth and nail until they dragged her kicking and screaming to the salt formation. She didn't want her sister to just submit to this like some fambaa to the slaughter.

"Maybe if we enter the terms of the agreement as friends we can…"

"Okay! Okay." Sanya stopped her from going any further. "If you don't want me to put up a fight, I won't. That doesn't mean I'll be happy about it." What did this do to her plans of taking her ship and running away? Maybe it was better. Talya was resigned to her fate as the wife of some lord's son. Sanya didn't have to worry about her twin being taken care of. She didn't know about happy. How could anyone be happy chained to some holdfast on some island with nothing to do but make babies and knit or whatever?

"Thank you, Nya. It's all I ask." Talya smiled, or tried to smile. What was there to smile about? "And I promise if there's anything I can do to help you postpone or change their minds or…"

"Nothing either of us say is going to make them see any way around both of us making powerful marriage alliances."

"Well, maybe, but we might get them to delay or…"

"We'll both do what we have to do, in the end." Sanya told her sister and Talya must have been content with that because she only nodded and then the two of them proceed to the sitting room to hear what their parents had to say that was so kriffing important.

There was no reason for her to pretend at this point except for the promise that she had just made to her sister. Her parents already knew her feelings on the subject. Talya stood before them with her hands clasped ladylike before her. Sanya crossed her arms over chest and leaned against the mantelpiece like any common sailor loling about off his watch.

She noticed Dalla Flint, who still had yet to actually be married to her brother, sitting quietly with a work of embroidery in her lap. Mother was sitting across from her, hands fidgeting as if she couldn't concentrate on anything so intricate at the moment if she tried. Papa and Herron were both standing, prepared for a fight. Sanya knew that agitation was directed at her perceived reaction to whatever they were about to reveal to the twins.

"Girls," Papa began, "thank you for obeying my summons so quickly."

"Aye, Papa," Talya bowed her head submissively. Sanya sort of shrugged and began to play with the leaves of the ornamental synthsilk plant in the vase beside her.

Papa cleared his throat. "Your mother and I have made a decision concerning Talya's betrothal."

Sanya felt everyone in the room glance in her direction, "What? It's not my noose."

Dalla tutted and mother gave an exasperated sigh, "Sanya, please."

Sanya rolled her eyes. She thought she was behaving quite well under the circumstances.

Talya spoke up to bring them back to the subject at hand. "What have you and mother decided, Papa?"

He said it quickly like ripping off a bacta patch. "You will be betrothed to Jamos Blackwell shortly after your fourteenth birthday and then if the arrangements can be made in proper order married after your sixteenth."

"Kriff," Sanya murmured under her breath. She crushed the synthsilk leaf in her hand but other than that she held her temper. It was just as she had feared.

Tayla jumped in to cover the curse. "Of course, Papa. If that's what you think is best. He seems a fine young man and I know his family would be a powerful connection for House Harkon."

Sanya wanted to punch something. She knew Talya would have said that about any choice her parents had made for her. They were still all expecting some outburst from the other twin. She wasn't about to give them the pleasure.

"We're glad you feel this way, Talya dear. You'll have plenty of time to get to know the young man and your father and I are sure that the two of you will come to an amicable relationship in that time."

"If he's ever at the Hold the same time she is," Sanya mumbled.

"What was that?" Herron asked, fishing for an argument.

Sanya smiled grimly. "Just that the Blackwell second son is quite a sailor, they say. He seems to spend an awful lot of time at sea. Who's to say he won't be spending much of the next two years on some voyage or other?" Then she returned to her mumbling. "On my kriffing ship."

"Aye Papa." Talya rushed to cover for her again. "You said after our fourteenth birthday. How long after our fourteenth birthday?"

Their father's eyes shot to Sanya again as he answered. "As soon as his ship is finished. You will sail upon your intended's new ship to meet him for the betrothal ceremony."

Angry tears sprang to Sanya's eyes and she bit her tongue. Talya went to stand next to her twin and squeezed her hand. "Of course Sanya will be able to come with me. We've never been apart."

Talya was trembling. For all her obedience and polite agreement, she was afraid. She was right. The twins had never spent any time apart. Well, other than during that voyage when Sanya had stowed away. When she returned, tanned from the sun, with a whole new vocabulary, and exuberant with everything she had learned and seen aboard the ship, Talya had fallen on her with hugs and kisses. _"I was so worried about you, Nya, and you left me all alone_!"

Sanya held both her sister's hands and they looked into each other's eyes. She hadn't even thought of that part of the equation or that this was the very thing that her sister was most worried about. Talya didn't want Sanya to put up a fight, not for the propriety of the thing but because she needed her twin to be strong for her in their parting.

Their mother's voice seemed to come from someplace far away from the twins own little world, "We thought it might be best to have this trial period. The two of you can still comm each other every day. Talya will go to Blackhold and Sanya will remain here and prepare for her own betrothal."

"If anyone wants kriffing wants me." Sanya snarked. There were remarks at her language but she still only had eyes for her twin.

Talya through her own tears didn't even mention the swear word. "Of course someone will want you. You're strong and brave, much braver than me."

They hugged each other tightly as if the rest of the family didn't exist.

"Do you still want me not to fight it? I can…" Sanya whispered and came very close to alluding to her plans. She would never let that kriffer Blackwelp have her sister!

"No, Nya. Don't make it any worse. Just," Talya sniffed and took a handkerchief from her pocket to dry her eyes. "Let's not make the last of our time together unpleasant. We've got months and months and then our birthday. I'm sure it will all work out."

Sanya glared daggers at her parents, her resolve never more strong to go ahead with her piracy. "Aye," she hugged her sister again, "It'll all work out."


	5. The Sweet Trade

In another hour Sanya had brought her sister back to their room and saw her settled in with a book to read and tea to sip. She really could be quite nurturing when she chose to be but she had dropped out of that role as soon as Talya was focused on the pages of the story.

Sanya pulled on, under her skirt, a pair of breaches that her brother had long ago grown out of. Over her clothing she wrapped a hooded cape. She started for the door but not before her twin noticed her going.

"Nya, you're going to check the progress of Jamos's ship aren't you?" Talya said his name as if it were a foreign word in a language she was being forced to learn.

"I…"

"You're not going to do something to it make it not able to sail or take longer to finish?"

"No," she answered honestly.

Talya looked close to tears again. "I know you love that ship. I feel like I'm stealing it from you as soon as it's ready to sail."

"You're not." Sanya sighed. "It's not your fault. And…" what could she say? "I would never make her unsafe for you to sail on."

Talya nodded. She knew that much was the absolute truth.

Sanya crossed the room back to her sister's window seat and knelt beside her. "You're right. I do love that ship. She's going to be beautiful when I'm finished with her. But I will always love my sister more than anything."

Talya hugged her. "I love you too."

Sanya straightened up. "I won't be too long. You enjoy your book and then we can play dejarik when I get back. I just need to get some air."

That Talya understood. Her sister wasn't meant to be cooped up inside. "I think that will do you some good. I'll set up the board and have it ready for us when you return, shall I?"

"Aye. That sounds good." Even if it was she who was leaving on that beautiful ship once it reached completion and not a Blackwell bride to be, it would still mean being separated from her twin. And either way she did want to spend as much time with Talya as possible before that day arrived.

…

As soon as she got out of the house Sanya found a convenient corner to hide behind to remove her skirt in favor of the breaches underneath. Salt gods, it felt better to be able to move freely, unencumbered by all those yards and yards of fabric. She stowed the skirt behind a large rock, tied her hair up in a messy knot, and pulled the cloak and hood tighter around herself.

It wasn't easy to sneak around on the island where she had been born and lived her whole life and everyone knew her but no one would be expecting a young stranger in boys' clothes and today all she needed was to get into the back room of the pub where Leon will have gathered the men she needed to convince to be her crew.

She knew, girl or not, she could never pass for anyone old enough to drink at the bar. Cabin boys were sometimes offered drinks on a special occasion or as joke. But what reason could she have for entering the establishment without the older sailors of her crew? Maybe she was sent as a messenger from an officer on board to fetch one of the sailors?

She needn't have put that much thought into it. Leon was there by the entrance of the place directing the other interested parties into the meeting when she arrived. She pushed back her hood a bit and gave him a grin that was full of excited and fearful determination.

"There y'are, lad." He said loud enough for any passerby to hear. He clapped her on the shoulder and shoved her through the door and back towards the meeting room. The pub was full of people she knew or at least knew her but none of them gave her a second glance and they made it to the prescribed location with no trouble.

With a sigh of relief she threw back her hood once the door was closed. Someone let out a curse. Of course her bright red hair was a dead give away to her identity.

"Hardicort," the man scowled. "Why'd you let her in here? She'll recognize everyone of us and run home and tell her Lord Papa we've been meetin' behind his back."

"I will not!" She sounded like a petulant child even to her own ears but she didn't let that stop her. She couldn't wait for Leon to calm the room for her.

Sanya spit and then with hands on her hips addressed them. "I won't tell my father about this because... I'm the one who called you all here."

There were a few snickers, an outright guffaw, and a couple of the men got up to leave.

She put herself between them and the exit, already beginning to assert her command. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Leon waiting to step in, in case things got violent. She was thankful he was letting her have her say before that was necessary.

"I know you've all seen that new lady out there in the shipyards."

"What about her?" Somebody called.

Here goes nothing. "She's mine and I mean to have her!"

Her exclamation was met with silence and then out right laughter. Sanya glanced over at Leon and he gave her a questioning shrug. She knew what he was asking. Did she want him to intervene? Did she still want to go through with this at all?

Well she was determined to continue and if she started letting him help her now she would never be able to keep command. She pulled out a chair and stepped up on to it so that she could see over the heads of all of the men.

"You're all Harkon men, loyal to my family." She bellowed.

"I'm not," one of the free signers called out.

Sanya pointed at him and smiled, "I'll get to you in a moment." She was starting to feel the roll of the room as if it were the deck of a ship under her feet.

"If I had been born a boy, I would have already served with most of you."

"I sailed with her," another man spoke up. "Hardest working cabin boy we had on the _Wave Saber_."

"Aye!" She grinned. "Markos Flint, I remember you! Then you remember my brother was on the same voyage! Which of us would you say came most naturally to the sea?"

Markos turned to the sailor beside him. "Her brother was puking his guts up for half the voyage while this one was scurrying up in the rigging like an owl monkey."

"Aye!" Sanya skipped nimbly from her chair to the back of another man's chair to the table top. "And it's that brother of mine who's been destined by the salt gods to be in command of you all, Young Lord Harkon captain of the cog kennels!"

That got her another laugh but now they were laughing with her.

"They wouldn't let me go back out on the salt again but I haven't sat idly by. I've studied for and passed both my midshipman's and lieutenant's exams." She marched across the table top like it was her very own quarterdeck and clapped Leon on the shoulder. "Mister Hardicort can attest to my fighting ability. I've kept up with my practice at every manner of blade."

The free signer took a gulp of his ale and then lifted his mug to her. "They still call her _The Knife_ up at the Hold."

"Aye?" She asked him, amazed.

"Oh, aye. Young master's still got the scar you gave 'im. Wears it proud, though his momma and that witch sister-in-law are after him to cover it up."

This news took Sanya aback. She didn't really want to think about Jamos Blackwell but it did give her an idea. She crossed her arms over her chest imperiously. "That's the kriffing bastard who thinks he's entitled to that sweet lady out in shipyard."

There were grumbles of agreement. And a few of the sailors spit on the name Blackwell.

"And not only that," she had their attention now, "The second son of the house of Blackwell believes he's entitled to the hand of my sister."

She had judged her timing exactly right. The grumbles rose to an angry hum.

"My father believes he has to bow to the whims of a disgraced lord!"

"You would defy your own father?"

Sanya wasn't sure who had asked the question but she turned to face in the direction of the voice.

"I love my Papa and my house. I believe he sees this as his only course. He can't pass over my brother and train me as his successor. Though he has consulted with me on the design of that new ship and allowed me to continue my education. And he can't in good conscience say no to the Lord of the North."

She looked around. They were listening to what she had to say, really listening to her. "I don't want to see the house of Harkon go down with the Blackwells'."

She smiled proudly. "I see this venture more as _liberating_ my ship and my sister and denying both of those fine ladies to the scum of Blackhold isle."

There was a round of "Aye!"s and lifted glasses.

Of course a descenter or two spoke up. "You really think you could take the ship from under their very noses?"

She opened her mouth to reply but now finally Leon took up the case, "We do. Captain Harkon here knows that ship like the back of her hand. She's been involved in every step of the design and construction of the craft."

"And the family trusted her enough not to scupper the rig in all that time?"

"I could never do that." Sanya assured them earnestly. "I've poured my life's blood into that craft. The only thing I love more in the Galaxy is my sister and since Lya's supposed to be sailing on her they know I'd never put her in danger."

Markos Flint smirked. "You can keep playing like the loyal sister, preparing the perfect wedding vessel and really make the craft to your own specifications."

"Aye! Exactly!" She marched across the table towards him with her hands on her hips. "They've planned to have the rigging out complete around the time of our fourteenth birthday and send the ship along with my sister to Blackhold as soon as they can manage after that."

The Harkon sailors we're all perfectly aware of when the family members' birthdays showed up on the calendar. They were celebrated like holidays on the island. It was the free signer who raised a hand and asked, "When will this be exactly?"

It was a fair question even for those who knew the timetable. They would have to arrange to be back here and not out on some other voyage when the time came.

"Three months." Sanya informed them. "Or there about. I can only assume Papa will make a big deal of the birthday celebration and send off. He will likely call in the entire fleet so you will all be here for us to get organized."

"It would make the most sense to slip the craft out the night before she's set to make sail." Leon suggested. "And it wouldn't hurt as the whole fleet will be in harbor, to make sure that the other captains and officers have a really good time celebrating that night. We won't want them to give chase till we can get a good distance away."

"Sounds at awful lot like going pirate," Markos Flint said what a lot of them had been thinking.

"That very well might be." Sanya spoke up again. "But the pirate code is a democracy. We would all be equals and all have a vote."

"And all have a share in any prizes we take," the free signer grinned and was rewarded with cheers.

Leon piped up again before the talk of booty dissolved them all into a chaos. "We should take a vote now. I nominate Sanya Harkon as our Captain because we could never do this without her."

She gave him a grateful nod as the discussion, mostly in her favor, swirled around the room.

Next Markos Flint added, "and I nominate Leon Hardicort as Quartermaster. We couldn't ask for a better spokesman for the crew."

More nodding and another chorus of "aye"s. There were no other names put forward as opponents so it was just a matter of yea or nay in favor or against the appointments. The outcome didn't guarantee that the arrangement would remain that way. Once they had the ship and had begun their marauding Sanya and Leon both would have to prove that they deserved the positions.

"We'll ask both of you to step out for a moment," Markos instructed. Sanya wondered how he knew so much about pirate protocol but she hopped down from the table and headed to the door as she was asked.

She also wondered if Leon had spoken to Markos ahead of time to have him be so vocal in support of their proposal.

She couldn't speak while she and her old friend waited for the decision but Leon gave her shoulder a squeeze. "You've done a good job, Nya. It's in their hands now."

After all her bravado, she felt drained. She wanted to ask what he had told them to get them to listen to her. She wanted to ask if he thought they had a chance. Before she could make her mouth form the question a head poked out the door.

"We've taken our vote. You can come back in."

Leon Hardicort had to give her a push in that direction. Then other hands shoved Sanya back up on to the table top.

"Congratulations, Captain Harkon!"

"Aye?" She wasn't sure she had heard them correctly but they were smiling and seemed in earnest.

"And Quartermaster Hardicort!" There was another round of cheers and applause. Their crew pushed him up to the table top as well and he towered over her there as he always did on the ground only now he took off his hat and bowed, deferring to her as his superior.

He took her hand and raised it in the air. "Three cheers for our bold captain!" He cried and they all joined him. And then someone was passing around drinks and one was placed in her hand.

It burnt her throat and made tears leak from the corners of her eyes but she drank it down and one of her men handed her another. She thought vaguely that it probably wouldn't be a good idea for her to drink too much more of that. And then she remembered that she had promised her sister a board game when she went back to the Hall.

"Leon," she caught his arm as he crossed in front of her vision.

"Aye, Captain?" He smiled.

She handed him the glass she was holding. "My first act as your responsible leader is to go home now and pretend to be a good girl for a while longer."

He raised the glass to her. "Aye, Captain," he said again.

"Good evening, men," she called out with a wave and walked unsteadily out into the street. She didn't remember getting home after that but she must have done because the next thing she knew she was in her own bedroom singing a bawdy sailor's shanty to the ceiling above her bed.

"Were you drinking?" Talya asked her, amazed and appalled.

Sanya giggled. "Do you blame me?"

"Do I even want to know?" Talya shook her head.

"I was drinking the health of my wonderful sister who is going to be betrothed!"


	6. My Little Runaway

Sanya takes a renewed interest in the successful completion of the craft in the shipyard. She hopes that someday soon she will have her crew behind her to claim it. When she isn't overseeing that she spends every waking moment with her sister. She struggles to portray the proper balance of dread that Talya will be leaving soon and upbeat encouragement to keep her twin from falling into worry and despair.

Talya also attempts to learn what she can about the new ship. She figures if it was something that her new husband would feel so passionate about, it wouldn't hurt to start out with something they could discuss and form a friendship over.

* * *

"I'm sorry." Talya said one day while the twins sat on the hill overlooking the progress on the ship's rigging.

"Whatever are you sorry for?" Sanya asked.

Her twin demurred. "The ship, I know you wish you were the one sailing away…"

Sanya stood quickly as if she couldn't remain still any longer or if she was trying to escape the conversation. "I'll be shipping off myself soon enough. You know that."

Talya also rose with a sigh. She knew the reasons her sister professed to oppose the coming betrothal but she was beginning to suspect that there was something more behind it. She broached the subject carefully. "I wonder if you might be right."

"Right about what?" Sanya turned to face her with a curious frown.

"That Jamos won't even stay at the Hold after I arrive. That he'll leave on some voyage and we won't get to spend any time together at all before the wedding."

Sanya's gaze again returned to the ship in the harbor, "Hmm." She didn't confirm or deny the statement.

"He loves sailing and the sea so much. That's what everyone says." Talya also looked down on the ship. The sails were being hung from the… She tried to remember the correct term: yard… something. "Sounds a lot like you."

"Like me?" the younger twin gave a disbelieving snort. "Well, if he's so much like me, he's bound to love you. I love you more than anything in the world, even sailing." She smirked but her sister could tell her heart wasn't quite in it.

Talya attempted a smile of her own but she couldn't help but remember the one time the twins had met Jamos Blackwell at the betrothal feast so long ago. He had barely noticed Talya but he had looked at Sanya with such fascination…

"We ought to be getting back." Sanya broke her tram of thought and then changed the subject as she led the way up the path. "Do you think they'll really go through with it without even waiting for the Flints to arrive?" She was picking up an old conversation. It was easier discussing their brother's fate than their own.

Dalla Flint, who had been living chastely betrothed to their brother and under their parents protection and their roof for the last two years, might finally become their lawful sister. Mother and Papa had decided that it would be a good thing to have the wedding before the twins fourteenth birthday while the family was still all together to celebrate it.

They had sent queries and invitations to Dalla's relations asking if they'd like to be a part of the event. It seemed that they already considered their daughter to be handed over to the Harkons. They'd signed the betrothal negotiations, trusted that Lord and Lady Harkon would handle the details, and said they could be contacted by comm if they needed to witness the actual ceremony.

"I guess they'll have to," Talya bit her lip. Poor Dalla. Talya didn't know what she would do if her own family didn't even want to come to her wedding. Surely they would make every attempt to be there, even if Sanya was already betrothed to someone when that time rolled around. The Blackwells hadn't made a big deal about their first son's trip to the salt formation with his bride after the scandalous betrothal feast, but surely vows spoken between two such great houses would require a grand audience of witnesses. And surely Sanya and Herron and Mother and Papa would be among them.

Talya's mind wandered to her own eventual wedding ceremony…

 _She would walk down the aisle between a sea of faces in a beautiful white dress, as white as the salt formation sparkling on new year's morn. Papa would be holding her arm and Sanya would be walking a few steps ahead of her, also in a beautiful gown but hers would be blue like the sea._

 _Even Talya with her colorful imagination couldn't quite imagine her sister's hair in perfect aray. Stray curls would have worked themselves loose from her braided updo. Sanya would look back at her with a smirk and a wink of playful encouragement or maybe a roll of her green eyes._

 _Talya would look ahead down the aisle toward her groom, but Jamos wasn't looking at her. He couldn't take his eyes off the maid of honor. And when Talya flashed forward to the part where the minister asked if anyone had any objections Jamos Blackwell tore his hand dramatically from the binding cloth that connected him to Talya and instead walked to her sister. "I want to make sure I don't marry the wrong one…"_

Suddenly Talya was jerked once again from her imaginings. Quite literally as Sanya grabbed her arm and pulled her off the path and behind a scrubby pine tree. She started to protest but Sanya silenced her and pointed.

There coming just around the bend of the path towards them were Dalla Flint and their brother Herron. They were talking in low voices and what's more, they were holding hands.

Sanya smiled a wicked smile but Talya gave her a warning glance and a silent shake of the head. And then the couple came close enough that the twins could make out what they were saying.

Dalla's voice was sweeter when she spoke to her betrothed alone, or what she assumed was alone, than when she scolded the twins or sharply answered the questions put to her by the Lord and Lady. One might almost think she liked him. "Out of all the young men they could have chosen for me, I'm glad it was you." She even blushed prettily as she said it.

"I'm glad, too." Herron smiled at her. At sixteen he was still only a little taller than his bride-to-be but he had matured over the last year or so. Even his sisters could see that. "I'm just sorry you didn't have any say in the matter. No one ever asked your opinion."

She waved off the comment. Of course they hadn't asked her. It was a marriage for position. She was to be the Lady of Harkon Hall someday.

"You ought to be asked." Herron dithered a moment, still holding her hand and the dropped to one knee before her. "Dalla Flint, will you marry me?"

Her face brightened at the innocence of his proposal and she gave a little nod before the word, "Yes," escaped her lips as a gasp.

Talya had to cover her own mouth to keep from uttering an, "Awwww," in response but she didn't have to look to know that Sanya was rolling her eyes. She gave her twin a preemptive nudge with her elbow to remind her to be quiet and Sanya muttered a quiet, "Ow."

But the couple didn't seem to notice. Herron leaped back to his feet. "Then would it be okay… I mean would you mind if I… can I give you a kiss?"

Again she nodded with her prim smile and he leaned toward her…

And then Sanya could no longer hold back a guffaw. The couple jumped away from each other and both turned to stare at their observers.

"Sanya!" Herron exclaimed even though both of his sisters stepped out from behind their hiding place.

"What?" She laughed unashamedly. "We were walking here before you were."

"You might have kept on walking!"

Talya as usual diffused the situation before it escalated further. She took Herron's advise to keep walking and pulled Sanya along with her. "We're very happy for both of you." She murmured.

…

It was with very little pomp and circumstance that the six Harkons gathered around the salt formation with a very nervous Dalla Flint, the minister, and a projection of Dalla's parents from a comm unit that fizzed in and out of its connection during the entire service. That was evidently enough to count for them witnessing the union.

Grandmother pronounced Dalla to be a beautiful bride and the twins were lovely in their identical Harkon pink dresses. Even Sanya tried to be on her best behavior. Though her gaze was drawn to the sails of the completed ship in the harbor as they flapped in the breeze. She only returned her attention to the matter at hand when Dalla graciously turned to Talya after it was all over and placed the binding net into her hands.

"I know your future husband isn't here but I'd like for you to have this since you'll be the next one to need it."

Talya smiled her dreamy romantic smile as she accepted the thing and Sanya managed not to roll her eyes. She noticed no such thing was bestowed upon her with the hopes of her future marital bliss.

Dalla herself was in better spirits than any of them had ever seen her. Maybe it was just the relief of having the thing over and done with after years of waiting. That and she seemed to have honestly developed feelings for the twins' elder brother. They laughed and held hands during their wedding feast and when they left it, presumably to consummate their vows, they looked at each other with an ardor that no one knew either of them possessed.

…

That being accomplished the next event to be planned was Sanya and Talya's fourteenth birthday celebration. Not that Sanya was involved much in those plans, she was too busy with plans of her own.

Just as she had expected, Papa called all of the ships into port and even, as if it were a gift from the salt gods, asked her opinion on who he should assign as crew to the new ship.

"Of course you'll appoint me as captain?" she joked with him.

"Ah, my girl, you know I would if I could." He ruffled her hair affectionately and then grew more serious. "I've enjoyed the time we've spent on this project. I'll miss you, Sanya, when it's your turn to sail away."

"Aye, Papa." She smiled awkwardly. She had enjoyed it too. She almost felt bad about stealing the craft he had been commissioned to build. Almost. It wasn't easy to get away from him to speak to Leon or the other members of the crew and when she wasn't with Papa overseeing the final touches on the ship she was with Talya.

…

By the time the day of the party arrived Talya had nearly come to terms with the idea of her going to Blackhold. Things had worked out alright for Herron and Dalla after all. They had started out as less than friends but now…

Talya loved seeing them together and Dalla even confided in her new sister-in-law that they were hoping they might have a baby right away. Dalla told her she was sure Talya would have the same good fortune in her match that she and Herron did. Dalla said that the wait really made it all worth it and that now it really seemed like it had been no time at all.

Talya was glad to spend more time with her sister-in-law while Sanya was off with Papa making the finishing touches to Jamos's ship. She would just rather have spent her last bit of time with her twin. Well, for the day of their birthday celebration they wouldn't have to worry about that. The ship was finished and there was nothing else to keep them apart.

It would have been wonderful if Sanya wasn't still so distracted. Talya wanted her sister to know that she was ready to go, that she didn't have to worry and that she wanted this to be a happy occasion. But whenever she brought up weddings or betrothals or the Blackwells Sanya hastily changed the subject. Maybe it was because Sanya's own betrothal had yet to be announced.

Sure Sanya claimed to never want to be married but what if that was just to cover for the fact that everyone around her was finding happiness in the matches that had been made for them. Well, Talya hoped that she would find happiness in her match to Jamos Blackwell. She remembered again her vision of what her own wedding might be like, and the groom's misgivings about which twin he had met at the salt formation. And then she thought of Sanya.

They were so much alike, they enjoyed the same things, and there was the rumor that Jamos still wore the scar given to him by Sanya, the Knife, as a badge of honor. Talya had never considered it before but what if… What if her twin had feelings for him as well?

Both of the twins were rather quiet during their birthday feast. Sanya had been all day but the more Talya thought about her theory the more she knew she had to speak to her sister about it. Not now though, she would wait till they were alone.

Then Sanya excused herself from the table and when she didn't return directly Talya went to look for her. She found her twin by the open kitchen door, speaking to someone outside.

"... having a real good time," the male voice assured her.

"Aye." Sanya nodded and then noticing her sister stepped back and grabbed a plate of cake from the counter and handed it out to the young man standing there.

"Who is…" Talya began politely if a little confused.

"It's just Leon," Sanya explained. "He's on the crew. They're happy for you too."

"Oh, well… Thank you." She gave him a small curtsy.

"Aye, m'lady." He bowed back to her and gave Sanya a nod before he left.

Sanya didn't bother to explain his presence any further. She just picked up another plate and dipped her finger into the frosting to have a taste.

Talya ventured, "Nya, there's something I wanted to ask you…" but before she had the chance a server ran in and seeing the girls shooed them toward the dining room.

"I'm supposed to be bringing in your dessert. Looks like you've already got yours, Miss Nya." He smiled. "Better get in there so they've got somebody to sing to."

Sanya set her plate back on the tray with a sigh and took her sister's hand. "We'll talk later."

But they didn't get the chance. Sanya kept glancing at the chrono and after a while asked to leave the party because she was tired and not feeling well. Talya stayed but only because it felt wrong that both the birthday girls should leave before the end of the festivities. When she finally reached their adjoining bedrooms Sanya was already asleep or pretending to be.

She stood for a moment considering what she might say and then sob hitched in Talya's throat and she ran to her own bed as the tears started to fall heavy and fast.

…

Sanya hated hearing her sister cry. She wanted to go and comfort her but Leon had told her that everything was ready and she didn't have time for a long drawn out goodbye. She had written a note that explained everything and she'd leave it where Talya was sure to find it in the morning. She had to wait a little longer. As soon as she was sure her twin was asleep she would slip out the window and be gone.

Finally Talya's sobs quieted and her breathing seemed soft and even. Sanya carefully climbed out of bed fully clothed in her brother's old fishing leathers. Leon had promised her that there would be clothing more befitting a captain in her cabin when she got on board.

Her cabin! She relished the thought but it didn't make leaving Talya any easier. "I hope you'll understand." She whispered as she arranged her pillows under the cover so that it wouldn't be immediately noticeable that she was gone.

…

Talya wasn't really asleep. The crying had just gradually stopped as the idea came to her. It seemed so simple. Sanya could have the ship and the boy. All they had to do was trade places! They had done it before. Why not now?

In the morning when Mother and Papa came to escort their daughter to the ship that would take her to Blackhold, Sanya could pretend to be her! Talya wouldn't mind staying home a little longer until other arrangements could be made. Maybe she could stay long enough to see if Dalla and Herron were successful and welcome their baby into the world.

And while she was doing that Sanya and Jamos would be getting to know each other better. Maybe he'd want to take her out on a voyage on the new boat with him and they'd live happily ever after.

She couldn't wait to tell Sanya her plan. Talya hopped out of bed, rushed through the doorway, and fell on her knees next to her sister's bed. She reached out to lay a hand on Sanya's shoulder and shake her awake… but Sanya wasn't there.

Wandering around the room in her shock and dismay she found the note. It said that Sanya loved her more than anything and that Talya was worth so much and she should never ever settle for less.

Talya blinked back more tears. She should have known something like this was in the works. She supposed she could raise the alarm, let her parents know, but she wouldn't do that. Instead Talya looked out the window toward the harbor and silently prayed to the salt gods that her sister would be safe. She rearranged Sanya's pillow decoy and then she climbed back into her own bed to wait until morning. If she could do one thing for her twin she could give her a little more time to make her escape.


	7. Acts of Piracy

This was Freedom! This was Living! Captain Sanya Harkon leaned against the rail right over the bowsprit as if she were the figurehead of the newly designated _Bloody Galia_. She wished it could always be like this, with the sun and the sea and the brylks cutting through the waves ahead of them.

They'd been lucky so far to have evaded capture by any pursuers. She knew that soon however they would have to turn the tables and become the hunters. She had promised her crew prizes and they were bound to forget their loyalty to a fourteen year old girl if she didn't prove herself capable. That, and the stores that had seemed so ample when they set off, wouldn't last forever. They would have to take what they needed or find an island where they could resupply.

A shadow descended over her vision and she nearly swatted the thing away into the sea before she felt the soft leather in her hand. "What is this?" The hat was pieced together skillfully from worn fabric, most likely what was leftover from the long coat she was wearing. She looked up at the man who had dropped it onto her head.

"A captain needs a proper hat." Leon grinned at her. His father had been a sail maker and he knew his way with a needle and thread much better than Sanya, she was ashamed to say.

"Aye!" She set it on her head at a rakish angle.

Then in a lower voice he said, "And I thought it might hide your hair a bit."

"Aye," she said again tucking a few more wayward strands under the brim.

"It probably wouldn't hurt if you didn't look so much like a girl when we go after our first prize," he suggested, judiciously.

"But you know I can fight?" Her hand went to the hilt of the knife in her belt

Leon Hardicort grinned again. "Aye. You're our Ace of Staves but they don't know that and until you really have a chance to make a name for yourself, we've gotta keep you in reserve. Aye?"

"Aye." She frowned with disappointment but she perked right back up again. "You've got an idea for what our first prize might be, haven't you?"

"Come on. I'll show you on the charts."

What he showed her was a small island that was heavily forested. Lumber was their business, lumber for shipbuilding. "You know what a profitable business that is?" he suggested.

"Aye." She did. Papa had acted like it was no big deal while they were working on the craft that was now swaying comfortably beneath her boots. And maybe it wasn't, if the Blackwells had paid him as handsomely for it as it was surely worth. She didn't mind stealing from the Blackwells. If Papa had had to pay out of pocket for the materials that had gone into the _Bloody Galia_ it surely would have bankrupted him.

"It just doesn't seem quite like piracy if it's on the dry land." She objected. Sanya had come to terms with the idea of taking booty from another ship. She felt safe on the deck of her own and wouldn't mind swinging over to another through the rigging and demanding that another captain might hand over all he possessed in exchange for the lives of his crew.

She also knew that it wasn't likely to be chests of credits that they would find in the hulls of the other ships they came upon. It would be goods that they would have to carry to a market where they could be sold or traded for something else.

"Unloading from their dock to our hold isn't really any different from moving crates from the belly of one ship to another." Leon shrugged.

She thought about it and then nodded.

"Plus," he added. "The owner of the operation had recently gone to meet the salt gods. It's his widow who's trying to run things now. Should be easy pickings."

Sanya scowled with her hands in fists on her hips. "You think a woman's not capable?"

"No." He let out a laugh. "I just meant in the transition between leadership… "

"Aye," she said again and then with a deep breath made her decision. "We'll bring it up for a vote with the crew and…"

"No," he interrupted. "This isn't for the crew to decide. You're the captain. It's up to you to tell us where we go."

"Aye?" Sanya felt very small and unsure of herself. She was glad it was only Leon here to witness her weakness. She was thankful for his guidance and she trusted that he believed that this should be their first venture.

With more confidence than she really felt at that moment, she nodded. "Aye. Mr. Hardicort, we sail to the island and take that lumber!"

"Aye aye, Captain!" He smiled and went to inform the men.

…

The _Bloody Galia_ dropped anchor just as the little island came into view on the northern horizon. From here Sanya could climb up to the main top and observe the goings on with her quadnocs but unless the islanders were specifically looking for the dark spot on the waves she and her crew would be invisible until they decided to move closer.

Even at this distance she could make out the production of the logging operation as they carried felled trunks of what must have been humongous trees to the docks for transportation. Leon had been right; a cargo of those would fetch a princely sum. She patted the main mast of her own ship and smiled before siding down the rigging to go over the plan once more with the crew.

"Tonight," she told them. "We sail close enough that we can lower the skiff and row to shore. Mister Hardicort, Damon, Cantos, Fenn, and Boggs, you'll come with me and we'll go quiet as we can to choose our hostage. Markos, I'm leaving you in charge here to await our signal."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" they all agreed without delay.

…

Luck was with them. As they neared the shore Sanya saw the light on in the main office. It was the woman, the one who Leon had said was the manager of the place now, who had decided to stay up late and work on the books. Lucky for them, not so lucky for her, it took no time at all to gag her, tie up her hands and carry her back to Sanya's own domain.

Sanya wondered if the woman felt safer now that she was alone with the diminutive captain after the leering scowls and laughter of the sailors who had carried her here to the main cabin. She didn't speak right away. She only drew one of the daggers from her belt, ran her thumb against the blade and then tossed it quickly, just missing the woman's right ear as she had done so long ago to gain the attention and the respect of her greatest enemy.

There. The move had elicited just the proper amount of fear in the eyes of the woman bound to the chair. With a smile Sanya sauntered across the cabin to retrieve her blade and used it to cut the gag so that she could speak with her hostage.

"Madam Fartrad, I presume?" Sanya lowered her voice attempting to keep her gender a secret for the time being as Leon had suggested.

"Aye, er y-yes, I am." Her voice betrayed apprehension but she was bearing up bravely under the interrogation.

"Your husband ran the logging operation until he died last season, Aye?"

"That's correct." She nodded. Maybe she thought things would go better for her if she cooperated. "It wasn't sudden. He spent the last months preparing me to take over for him as our son also has the sickness."

"Sorry." Sanya frowned with an ounce of sympathy before she continued, "what do you think your people give us to return you safe and sound?"

"You'll be wanting the timber, I assume?" She returned the question with a question levelly. She looked around the cabin seeing that it was newly built from the very best, maybe even from a previous harvest of her own trees.

"Aye."

"We will give you want you want."

The captain was encouraged by the direction of the conversation but Madam Fartrad's next question surprised her.

"Where do you plan to sell the timber? It's worth quite a sum but only if you have the right buyer. You could go to Harkon Hall." Could she have already heard the alert go out that one of the Harkon twins was missing? Did she suspect that this _boy_ might in fact be her?

"No!" Sanya spouted before she answered more calmly, "we're not headed that way."

"Well then," the woman squirmed a bit in her bonds as if to remind the captain that she was still tied. Obviously she would be more comfortable discussing terms if her hands were free. "I have a proposition for you."

With a sigh Sanya crossed the room again to free the woman's wrists. She didn't see the harm in it. Madam Fartrad had seen what she could do with a blade and there were an entire crew on the other side of the cabin door who would catch her if she decided to try to escape.

"Thank you." Madam Fartrad nodded and rubbed the feeling back into her hands. She didn't waste any time in divulging her plan. "There is another band of pirates in these waters who generally around this time of year have the same idea that you had yourself. When they come along they will likely take all of our timber and pillage anything else they can while they're here. Only if they were to see your ship protecting our docks they might not be in such a hurry to stop here as they have been in years past."

"You wanna pay us to protect you?" Sanya asked.

"Aye."

The sum she offered was not as much as they would have gotten for selling the timber, but it was a start. They could always just take the credits and run, leave the islanders to whatever the other pirates wanted to do with them. Madam Fartrad was taking a risk, paying for her own ransom without any security that Sanya and her crew would stick around after the transfer.

Maybe it was Sanya's conscience or her curiosity wouldn't let her sail too far off until she had seen if these pirates would actually show up. They returned the woman, got the credits, and then made their way around the back of the island where their masts couldn't be seen for the trees.

Sure enough, just as Madam Fartrad foreseen, another ship flying a black flag approached the island on the morning tide to begin their plundering. They never expected Sanya and her crew lying in wait to pirate the pirates who had already taken a substantial prize of their own not long before. The ship's hold was full of all kinds of goodies that the _Bloody Galia_ acquired on top of the sum they had already collected from the island's natives.

Of course it didn't come without a fight but Sanya and her crew were more than ready for them. She took on the opposing captain herself capturing the attention of the men from both ships eager to see the outcome of the duel. When she disarmed the man she got a round of cheers.

"Bested by a little boy." The other captain spat, looking up at her from where she had knocked him to the deck. "Must be beginners luck." He attempted to rise but she couldn't afford to show mercy at this stage in the game.

With her short sword still pointing at his neck, she tore off her hat at let her hair fly free. "I'll have you know you were bested by Sanya the Knife Harkon." And then she ran him through.

She stood there and watched the life drain out of him, barely hearing the sounds of the resuming battles around her. She didn't participate in the rest. Instead she staggered to the rail and emptied the contents of her stomach into the waves to celebrate the event of her first kill.


	8. Homefront

Tayla ran down the path from the Hall to the docks. She lifted her heavy skirts a few centimeters off the ground so as not to trip. She had known she would find her father there staring out at the approaching vessel through his quadnocs.

"Is it her, Papa? Is it Sanya coming back to us?"

There had only been vague rumors for the past couple of months. The most updated communications system had been installed into the ship meant for the Blackwell second son. Even with it however, transmissions would be hit and miss over the water. Still Talya would have thought her twin would have tried to find a way get a holo home.

"No." He lowered the instrument but continued to look in the direction of the ship. "It's not the… what did they say she was calling it?"

"The _Bloody Galia_." That's what the sailors were saying anyway and Talya had kept her ears open for any mention of the ship or her captain.

"The… _Bloody Galia_." Papa repeated. "Aye, it's… it's not her. I think it's coming from the Fartrads. Don't know what I'll tell them. Can't possibly afford…" Then he seemed to really notice his other daughter standing there and he smiled guiltily. "Nothing for you to worry about. Maybe they'll have news about your sister." He looked older as if all this mess had aged him several years rather than several weeks.

"I pray to the salt gods they will, Papa." She smiled encouragingly back at him.

Lord Harkon pulled Talya into a hug. "Oh my sweet, obedient girl. What would I do without you?"

"I'm glad to still be here." She admitted. "I'd like to stay at least until Dalla has her baby?" Talya looked to him hopefully.

"Of course, of course." He waved off her concern but looked again toward the nearing vessel. "The plans have not changed with the Blackwells but they have allowed that you may spend your betrothal here at home with your mother and I. Salt gods know that son of theirs is hardly ever at the Hold anyway."

She hugged him again. "Oh thank you, Papa!" She knew her betrothal to Jamos Blackwell was still important. She was beginning to think it was more important than she had first suspected. What was it Papa had said about not being able to afford a shipment from the Fartrads? That particular family were Papa's lumber suppliers. If they couldn't buy lumber, then they couldn't build ships. The production that Harkon Hall was known for would grind down to a halt.

"Papa?" Talya attempted to change the subject while he returned to scanning the waves. "Do you suppose Herron and Dalla will have a little boy? I mean, wouldn't it be wonderful, an heir for House Harkon so soon?"

"A… boy?" he said distractedly. "Oh, no. A girl is what we need."

"A girl, Papa?" she asked, confused.

He gave her a vague smile. "Of course a girl. Trevon Blackwell has a boy it would be another perfect match."

"Jamos's little nephew…" _my nephew_ , she thought. _Or he would be soon enough_. Before she could really put together the meaning of his statement her father placed hand on her shoulder.

"And Herron should know the joy of having a daughter."

"Of course, Papa," she agreed still musing.

Lord Harkon gazed again through the quadnocs at the ship that was moving ever closer. "It is the Fartrads. What could they possibly mean by showing up now?"

He seemed agitated and Talya wished there were something she could say to calm him.

"You head back to the house now, Nya. Papa will take care of this."

She didn't mention that he had called her by the wrong name. She did as she was biden but slowly, looking backward often to see that he was alright.

…

Talya might have physically returned to the sitting room and her embroidery but her mind was still on the docks with Papa. That morning when she had seen the sail on the horizon out her window she had been so hopeful that it meant she would see her twin again. The past two winters since the Blood Moon had been mild but one never knew when the northern climate might right itself and the sea freeze over as it always had in the past. And what would Sanya do then?

A quick gasp from the occupant of the seat beside her woke Talya from her musings. "Is it the baby? Did you feel it kick?" She asked.

Dalla smiled. "No, it's a little too soon for that. I only pricked my finger." She sucked at the offending digit for a second and then picked up her needle and returned to her sewing project.

But Talya was curious. "What's it like?"

"Like?" Dalla didn't even glance up, keeping her focus on her hands.

"Mother stopped having babies after Sanya and I. So I've never… I mean I've touched the cog mommas' bellies and felt the pups move around inside but… It must be amazing."

Dalla laughed. "It is. Well, I haven't actually felt this one move yet. I remember what it was like when my mother was carrying my brothers and sisters." She tucked her needle into the fabric so she wouldn't lose it and placed a hand on her barely beginning to show belly. "Knowing that he or she is in there and growing, though… it really is amazing."

Talya smiled dreamily. It was one thing she was actually looking forward to. When she and Jamos were married they would be able to have babies of their own. And then even if their father was away at sea, Talya would have a little piece of him back home with her at the Hold.

It wouldn't matter if they had a boy or a girl because House Blackwell already had an heir. Trevon and Miara's son Alon was said to be strong and healthy and smart… And that reminded Talya of something else. "Papa said he hoped your baby would be a girl."

Dalla's head snapped up. "He said what?"

"I asked him if he hoped the baby would be a boy to carry on the Harkon name but he said no, that Herron should know what it was like to have a daughter."

Dalla frowned. The only thing girls were good for in northern society was the bride price they fetched when they were betrothed to another noble family. She was about to ask what else her father-in-law had said when Lady Harkon breezed into the room.

"Good. You're both here." She paced a bit frantically before she took a seat wringing her hands in her lap. "Your father has gone to get Herron from the kennels and then he said he had something to tell us all."

The Lady of the Hall had been weepy over Sanya's departure and weepy over the promise of a grandchild by turns for two months now. Though she never mentioned her younger daughter. It almost seemed that she was mourning her death. Now that some sort of news had arrived at their docks she was like a storm ready to break.

Herron entered the room first. He crossed to his wife, smiled at her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Do you have any idea what this is all about?"

"Not a clue." She patted his hand still disturbed by what Talya had told her.

Finally, in marched Lord Harkon. He looked around at them all with a smile on his face, happier than he had appeared in weeks. He rubbed his hands together expectantly.

Talya broke the silence, "what is it, Papa?" She could help but smile along with him.

"That ship that's just arrived," he began, "was indeed from the Fartrads and it is filled with lumber!"

Talya looked around and when no one else seemed ready to speak up she answered again. "That's wonderful, but I thought you said…"

"It's all been paid for!" He crowed.

His audience sat, amazed.

"I thought I'd have to turn them away or ask for a delay in payment, but the first thing the captain told me when he stepped off the boat was that the entire shipment was already ours bought and paid for!"

"But how is that possible?" Herron asked. He did prefer breeding Norcogs to the building of ships but that didn't mean hea hadn't been taught the basics of economics for his future as Lord of the Hall.

"Did the Blackwells commission another ship?" Talya asked. "To make up for the one…" She glanced at her mother who whimpered and decided not to finish her thought.

"Well no. The Blackwells decided to forgive the cost of that ship as long as Talya's still promised to their second son."

So they wouldn't be getting a bride price for Talya. She was only being betrothed to the Blackwells now to make up for the loss of the _Bloody Galia_. She looked down at the embroidery work in her hands and didn't speak up again.

Dalla tried to keep her voice light as she changed the subject. "Then how did we end up with our storehouses full of lumber once again, pray tell?"

Herron gave her shoulder another squeeze. He loved it when his wife said 'we', reminding them all that she was a part of this family now and they were all in the same boat.

Lord Harkon was silent for another moment to build suspense and then he burst out, "Sanya earned it for us."

Lady Harkon gasped and fluttered her hand over her heart. Talya glanced up with the beginnings of a smile again. Herron and Dalla just looked at each other in amazement.

If anyone ever wondered where Sanya got her talent for storytelling, it was obvious once the father got started.. He told the tale as it had been told to him by the Captain but adding little anecdotes of his own, and censoring bits of it for the ladies in his audience.

…

There were more stories for him to tell when a shipload of ironworks arrived the night before salt and light. Then later in the spring more news reached Harkon Hall along with a cargo consisting of kilometers of thick good quality rope.

Sanya "the Knife" Harkon was making a name for herself as a fierce fighter. Her exploits however, more often than not, involved helping the weak out of some sticky situations. And then the _Bloody Galia_ would sail away before the recipients of her protection could offer their thanks.

It was a mystery if she even knew how her family benefited or if it was only happenstance when she came upon and island in need of her services. Lord Harkon had a suspicion that Madam Fartrad had something to do with steering his daughter in the right direction after their first encounter.

He wasn't so worried about her now that she seemed to be finding her way and the finances of the Hall were not in such dire straits. Still they weren't completely out of the hole that he had dug them into while throwing everything into the building of the ship that should have gone to the Blackwells.

Talya's marriage would help them to break even. He'd been counting on a betrothal for Sanya to bring them back to the level where a great house of the north should be. There was no guarantee that his younger daughter would ever submit to such a thing now.

One morning just before the summer solstice, however, the salt gods delivered another opportunity to House Harkon. The Lord of the Hall could waste no time in settling the matter.

...

"You want to betroth her to the Blackwells' little boy now?" Dalla clutched her daughter, Betha, to her chest. "But she's only two months old! Isn't there time enough to wait?"

Lord Harkon didn't look like he wanted to discuss the matter with her but perhaps in an attempt to calm her panic, he did. "This is our best chance. No other houses have put in an offer, so we're practically guaranteed an agreement."

"We could betroth her later though, like Herron and me. She could have a wonderful childhood and then, when she's older, we could approach the Blackwells."

"There's no time to wait." Lord Harkon didn't raise his voice but it was harder than she'd ever heard it. "Your daughter will be betrothed to Trevon Blackwell's son, and that is final."

She knew she couldn't win this argument but there was someone who could. Dalla stormed out of Lord Harkon's office, dropped off her daughter with Talya, and made a beeline for Herron in the cog kennels.

"Dalla?" He turned around when he heard the door open. "What are you doing here?"

Dalla locked the door behind her.

After an hour of making Herron Harkon's every mortal desire come true, the both of them appeared at Lord Harkon's office door.

"Betha will not be betrothed to Trevon Blackwell's son," Herron announced and pushed back his shoulders. "I'm her father and I will not consent to any match until she's older."


	9. Developments

Back to Sanya and her crew and the inevitable complications of being the only girl aboard the Bloody Galia.

* * *

The crew of the Bloody Galia already had plenty to celebrate. They had just taken a magnificent prize. When they arrived in the merchant port to sell the cargo, they got a price better than they ever could have dreamed. And then they came away with the news that there was a new baby at Harkon Hall.

"I'm an aunt!" Sanya announced to her men while Quartermaster Leon Hardicort distributed the shares to each man what he was due. They all cheered their captain and the fact that they had credits in their pockets and the fact that they all got an extra ration of rum.

It was Summer Solstice and the salt gods had been good to them, if you believed in that sort of thing. Sanya wasn't quite sure what she thought of her older brother becoming a father. Maybe it was because she had never really considered him likely to love anything more than his norcogs or maybe because he was only a little over two years older than Sanya and her twin. If he could father a child than the rest of the north would surely be wondering when his younger sister would be ready to take her place at Blackhold and have babies of her own.

Sanya couldn't believe that Talya was ready for such a thing. She certainly wasn't. So she put it out of her mind and dove head first into the celebrations with her crew.

Almost literally. Nobody was sure who jumped or was pushed into the water first. Thankfully all of her crew were experienced swimmers because one after the other most of the men ended up in the sheltered bay splashing and dunking. Their captain was not to be left out of the fun.

She was fully clothed when she went into the water giving as good as she got in the splashing battle that ensued. Some of the men had torn off shirts before they dove in or stripped down to their underthings. She was used to that but she did have to retrain some propriety herself as their superior officer.

It wasn't until she climbed out of the water onto the dock with her white shirt clinging to her that it became plain that she was not just one of the boys. She had filled out in the last year which hadn't been as noticeable when she dressed like a man in her long coat and breeches. At nearly fifteen years old Sanya Harkon was developing the body of a woman.

One by one her men went silent as they gestured to their crewmates in the captain's direction. It was Leon who quickly jumped out of the water to get her a towel to wrap around her shoulders.

"What the Dxun is wrong with everyone?" She asked as he escorted her back to her cabin so she could change.

Her old friend was also acting strangely. "You looked... cold," he attempted to explain. He was considering all the evil thoughts that the innocent display must have put into the minds of the other sailors, because surely he wasn't thinking them himself.

At the door to her cabin she smiled up at him. It was that same cheeky grin that she had given him the first day they made plans to take the ship and run away. He remembered that day. She had stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. An overwhelming urge came over him to kiss her now.

But he wouldn't, and he didn't. He let her shut the door and then rushed to his own cabin to try to sort out his feelings about all this.

He made the decision then and there that he wouldn't touch her till she turned 16. That's the age her family would have sent her off to be the bride of some noble. He could wait until then.

Of course if she came to him with questions in the meantime about the ways of a man with a woman he would be there for her and answer her as truthfully and gently as he could. His mind began to wonder to how excited she'd always been to learn new things and how she threw herself energetically into each new experience. She surely wouldn't be content with gentle instruction for long and then she would want to be in control and salt gods he would let her be the master of her own pleasure.

Deep in his own daydreams, Leon began to hear the rest of the crew coming back on board laughing and talking.

"Did you see her?" one of them whistled.

Another one speculated, "you think they went back to her cabin or his?"

And a third guffawed, "She'd be welcome in my hammock."

 _Kriff_ , Leon seethed. It was then the idea came to him that they should find a place to let these kriffers off for some shoreleave, a place that had a brothel so they could let off some steam. Maybe if the captain wasn't quite ready he could find some entertainment for himself as well. Some petite, red-haired entertainment?

…

Leon looked down once more from the balcony into the dining area at the table where the captain was settled with a pint and a hot meal before he closed the door and got down to business. He tore off his shirt and practically bounded towards the whore taking a handful of her luscious red hair and burying his face in it, breathing, "Nya."

The girl caught on quick. She'd seen them come in together. "Would you like me to pretend to be her?" She asked.

"You could… do that?" he inquired. It is what he was hoping for after all but he'd been too embarrassed to phrase the request.

"Aye." She smiled, "but it'll cost you extra."

"Th-that's alright." She walked past him towards the door and for a moment he was afraid she was going to look out and shout something down to the patrons below.

"Hold on now…" he started to protest, but she only loosened her dress and let it fall to the floor before she picked up the white shirt he had discarded on his way in. It was similar to the one the captain wore and the whore turned to face him doing up a couple of the buttons. "Well sailor. Are you going to ask permission to board?"

"Aye." He smiled.

She took his hat off, also similar to the one worn by the captain, and placed it on her own head. "Kriff me. That's an order." Her pout didn't look anything like the captain's confident smirk but that could be dealt with.

He turned her so her back was to him and pushed her face down on the bed. There. From behind it was much easier to imagine… though he had once heard a rumor that the younger Harkon twin had a birthmark on her shebs that the family had used to tell them apart. Some day he was going to find out. For now he mounted the lookalike with Nya's name on his lips.

…

 _Men_. Sanya rolled her eyes and took a gulp of her ale. She had agreed that it might be a good idea to let her crew have a little down time but it wasn't like she was going to stay on the ship all by herself. Leon didn't seem to want her to come into the place but frankly she was curious.

The Madam of the establishment hadn't wanted to serve her either. Despite the fact that she was the captain of a successful crew and nearly as old as some of the girls who worked here, she was still not old enough to drink. Leon had paid for the meal with his credits before he headed upstairs. She'd have to thank him for that later. It was good ale.

Sanya had brought enough business into the place. It wasn't like she was just loitering and taking up space. Still the Madam, Korina was her name, eyed her suspiciously. That is until something else drew her attention away from the little female captain.

There was a scream and one of the girls was unceremoniously thrown out of the room in which she had been plying her trade. A big rough obviously drunk sailor came after her bellowing accusations and threats. She had cheated him, insulted him, stolen from him. It didn't really matter to Sanya. He wasn't one of her crew.

Korina of course came to the defense of her employee but the man was having none of it. His threats carried over to the employer. It really wasn't any of Sanya's business. She looked down into her suddenly very interesting mug of ale.

No one else was doing anything to help. As the situation escalated, however, Sanya knew she couldn't just stand by and watch. In leap and a bound she was on top of the table behind the assailant. She had whipped out her favorite knife and wrapped her arms around his neck to hold the blade to his throat.

"Let 'er go," the little captain growled.

He released his hold on the Madam.

"Now," Sanya whispered just as calmly. "You're gonna leave this place and you're never gonna bother these nice ladies again."

There was a pause in which the sailor seemed to consider his options. Evidently he came to the conclusion that walking out would be better than having a new smile carved for him by "the knife." He did so swiftly along with a couple of witnesses that presumably left to spread the tale.

Sanya watched him go before she jumped down from her perch and asked if Korina and the other victim were alright. Korina had a bruise blossoming around her eye and one of her other girls rushed up with med supplies and bacta ointment.

"It's alright Meggy. See to Rena," she waved away the girl's ministrations walked up to Sanya. "Captain Harkon?"

Sanya was bolstered by the use of her title and not being referred to as young lady or some such. "Aye?"

"Thank you. I'd like to find some way to repay…"

"Just a refill would be fine."

A smile broke out over the Madam's face. "You shall have it! And a place at our table anytime you are in port!"

There was a cheer from the girls and from the other patrons just at the moment when Leon Hardicort was taking his leave from the room upstairs. He wondered for a moment what all the fuss was about until he saw that Sanya was at the center of it.

She smiled up at him. That was the smile he loved.


	10. Maiden Voyage

Of course Sanya recognized him, even in his slightly less inebriated state on the deck of her ship. He was the bastard she had sent packing from the brothel over a month ago. She should have known he wouldn't accept the the insult of being bested by a girl lightly.

Her lookout had seen seen the other craft approaching but the Bloody Galia was more than up to the challenge of another battle. And they had the time to prepare as the two vessels came up alongside one another.

Aye, she recognized him as soon as he boarded but she wasn't looking at his face just now. She was too distracted by the blaster he had leveled at her chest.

A blaster of all things?! No self respecting Onderonian would carry a blaster! Well maybe the southerners when they forced the beast riders out of the city. A blaster was a coward's weapon, completely without the honor of a face to face battle with a blade.

Sanya Harkon would certainly never lower herself to use such a thing but that didn't mean she'd ever trained to face up to one. It was a small thing, probably only powered with one shot before it had to be recharged. But one shot is all it would take at this range if she didn't think of something quickly.

She did the first thing that came into her head and lunged straight at him. She felt the searing heat blaze past her right side as she buried her knife up to the hilt in his chest. If she had done it when they met before, this never would have happened.

Salt gods! The wound in her side burned like fire but she wasn't about to show weakness in front of her crew. "Just grazed me," she waved off her quartermaster's worried frown. They'd won the day. That's all that mattered.

…

Sanya took a gulp of the pint of ale. It was better quality than most of what she was able to get. Most barkeepers gave her their least potent varieties even when she threatened them. Here though she knew the madam. After she and Korina had become friends when Sanya helped her out, and Sanya had promised to only let her crew frequent this particular establishment when they were in the small port, the petite captain got a tab at the bar just like any of her men.

She had never imagined that she would be sitting at a table alone at a brothel drinking on her 15th birthday. She hadn't told the crew that the day was today. They were happy enough celebrating a successful raid and the shore leave it afforded them. They had grown used to seeing their young captain belly up to the bar for a drink but there were other crews who weren't so comfortable with her presence.

Not like they could really tell she was a girl with her trousers and boots, longcoat and hat pulled down low over her eyes. Not to mention her chest that was only recently beginning to strain against her fishing leathers. Still she had started to gain a little notoriety for her piracy. They knew who she was when they saw her supposedly dozing off her alcohol buzz and waiting for her crew to finish their carousing.

She was never sleeping though. She was watching, not the way the girls plied their trade seducing the sailors into their beds. Sanya was watching the men. She couldn't see herself caring much for any of them romantically or otherwise, but she wanted to see how they chose their partners. They appraised the whores like they were judging the freshness of a catch down at the docks.

As much as Sanya abhorred the idea she knew that if the other captains and crews were going to take her seriously she was going to have to start acting more like them. They already knew she was deadly with any manner of blades. She still had to prove to them that she wasn't just a little girl playing at their game. Tonight she planned to add a new layer to her legend and she was going to do it on her own terms.

She took another sip of her liquid courage while several members of new crew entered and found seats at tables or at the bar. Sanya took her time to study each man while they filled their bellies before moving on to other activities. She counted out immediately the old one, the one who had already downed four beers and was working on his fifth, and the one who pulled one of the girls down onto his lap and already had his hand down the front of her dress before his food was put before him.

The young one was also not an option. He looked like he had less experience than Sanya did herself, ogling the cleavage of the whore who crooned at him and called him her little man. No, he would never do.

Then her eyes fell on a sailor sitting on a barstool regaling anyone who would listen with a story of an event that had supposedly occurred on their last voyage. Only it hadn't. Sanya had heard the story before. It was an old one actually but this man told it with more flare.

He had gained quite an audience but Sanya feigned indifference. That is until his food arrived and he ended the tale so that he could fill his mouth. He had been eyeing the girls so Sanya knew the storytelling was partially for their benefit. He did intend on spending the night with one of them tonight but he wouldn't if Sanya had her way.

She knocked back the last of her drink and stood still firm on her feet. A few people glanced her direction surprised that she had moved from her favorite spot. She inserted a bit of swagger into her step. She didn't go straight to the man at the bar. Instead she stopped next to the muscled sailor she knew to be the bosun of that other crew. She gave his bicep a squeeze and whistled appreciatively. She had seen the men evaluating the merchandise in a similar fashion. He was good looking but he wasn't what she was looking for.

Someone laughed but she ignored it and moved on. As she passed the young sailor she gave him a pitying shake of her head. "Need something that's gonna last a bit longer."

She had a few more observers now but the storyteller hadn't seemed to have noticed her yet. She leaned against the bar next to him pulled her favorite knife from her belt tossed it up and caught it by the blade.

He turned towards her finished chewing a mouthful of meat and swallowed before he spoke. "Can I help you?"

"I think maybe you can." With the blade of her knife still between her fingers she used the hilt to lift the front hem of his shirt and check out his abbs. She gave him an impressed nod. "Mmm. What do they call you?"

He raised an eyebrow in confusion and looked around at the audience their exchange had gathered. "Beskar," he answered her, finally. "Johnny Beskar."

"Beskar." she repeated as if tasting the name. "How would you feel about making a few credits tonight rather than spending them on one of these fine ladies?"

In a low voice he leaned towards her and whispered. "Is there some reason you feel the need to pay for company?"

She was expecting something of the sort but she just gave him a nod and a self assured smile and removed her hat. Her red hair fell in waves almost to her waist. Her fine ladylike features that she generally tried to hide were clear in the light of the brylk oil lanterns. She was _not_ too ugly to get a date by regular means. "Do you know who I am?"

"If I didn't know any better I would say you fit the description of Sanya "the knife" Harkon."

" _Captain_ Harkon, if you don't mind. And I simply plan on rewarding a job well done, that is if you're up to it, Mr. Beskar?" she traced the hilt of her knife along his strong jaw line.

He smiled. "Captain, I believe you have found your man."

She gestured toward the stairs and waited for him to go up ahead of her. Letting him stay a few paces ahead, she made a show of enjoying the sight of his rear end as he climbed toward the bedrooms. Bawdy cheers and comments followed them.

He crossed right to the bed, pulled off his jacket and started to remove his boots, evidently intent on earning the credits she had promised. She closed the door and leaned back against it with a sigh of relief that she had made it this far.

He looked up at her inquisitively. "What is it exactly that you'd like me to do for you?" He asked. He didn't see her cross the room as he drew his shirt off over his head as well.

She surprised him with the blade at his throat to replace his collar. "What you can do for me is convince them out there that you fulfilled my every kriffing desire better than any man I've ever been with."

He coughed and then gave her a tight smile, raising his arms slightly in surrender. "And may I assume by _convince them_ you mean that's not what will be happening in this room tonight."

She shrugged but didn't lower her weapon. "They know I can kill but they still treat me like a little girl. They gotta believe I can kriff too."

"But you don't wish too… you never have. You're still a…"

She pressed the blade harder against his neck threatening. "If you can make 'em believe it, you'll be well compensated. If we can't come to an agreement, I already told you my secret. I'll have to kill you."

"Well, that makes my decision much easier doesn't it." He smiled at her again and with a question in his eyes, tentatively pushed her hand holding the weapon a few centimeters away so that he could swallow and take a breath. "Do you think we might be able to have this conversation without you menacing me with your blade?"

She looked him over. Sanya had seen plenty of men with their shirts off on her father's ships, among her own crew and others that she had fought with or sailed beside. Johnny Beskar's chest was very nice but that was beside the point. "Aye," she agreed and returned the knife to her belt.

"There now, that's much better." He rubbed his throat and nodded gratefully to her. "Your reputation does proceed you, Captain. I know that you and your crew have successfully pulled in several substantial prizes in the short time you have been marauding."

"Aye."

"And if you chose to do so you could make me a very rich man."

"Or a very dead one," she reminded him.

"Aye." He agreed with another nervous smile. "That goes without saying." His expression was thoughtful for a moment. "Might as well…" he picked up his shirt and put it on then stood and started pacing.

Sanya stayed out of his way with her arms crossed over her chest.

"So, you want me to start a rumor that you paid me for a kriff?"

"Aye. And that you weren't my first," she added.

"I'm sorry." He stopped pacing and shook his head. "But why though? You could have any man you wanted. You're a beautiful girl, when you're not all covered up with the hat and hiding behind your knives."

She looked away from him. "You really think I'd want to spend my first time on some kriffer I just randomly met in some Dxun of a pub?" The Lady she was trying desperately to not to be, shown through her words for the briefest moment. "I want that to be with somebody special." She hardened again. "But if _they_ know they can take that from me, they're gonna sure as Dxun try it."

"But if it gets around that your virginity is no longer a card to be played and that you have taken control of your own sexuality…?"

Sanya nodded.

"It's smart. I never would have thought of it. Of course I never had the need." He was a man. The social expectations of the planet were weighted in his favor.

"Alright." Beskar clapped his hands together as if to get down to business. "What is it exactly that we're supposed to have done this evening?"

"Kriffed if I know." Was her ironic answer. To which, he smiled.

"How about this?" he described an act to her that made her eyes widen and her cheeks go as red as her hair.

"People really do that?" she asked, innocently horrified.

He didn't ridicule her for her lack of knowledge. "I'm told some women enjoy it very much."

"Have you ever…" she began but then stopped herself. "Alright fine. We did that, or are doing that I suppose."

"If only you could get a tattoo or something." He mused.

"A tattoo?"

"Some sort of distinguishing feature that not many people had the opportunity to see. If I were to tell people that you had such a thing and then… a ship's doctor or a crew member who accidentally walks in on you dressing. Someone could see it and then corroborate my story that I had seen such a thing while we were… kriffing."

"Well, I have a birthmark."

"You have a…"

"It's…" she dithered in indecision for a minute "My parents said it's how they used to tell my sister and I apart when we were babies."

Sanya doffed her longcoat, loosed her belt, turned her back to him, and dropped her pants to show him the mark on the left cheek of her shebs.

"Th-that's perfect." He said after a moment's silence.

She glanced over her shoulder at him incredulously. "You really think so?"

He didn't look up to her eyes, choosing instead to continue studying her backside. "Something that your family is aware of but no one else would have much opportunity to see." Finally he met her gaze with a bit of a guilty grin and tried to return to a more studious expression. "You know it's shaped a bit like…"

"Blackhold Isle." She finished along with him and sighed. "My grandmother said it was an omen." She started to pull up her breeches. "You really think it'll help, now that you've seen it?"

"And I'll be able to inform them with all honesty that under your leathers you are a very beautiful woman."

Flustered she worked harder to get her pants cinched in place and her belt fastened. As she did the hem of her shirt raised slightly revealing a makeshift bandage that pulled away from an angry red and scorched patch of skin, on the right side of her ribs and waist. She winced as she pulled the shirt back down over it but not before he noticed something oozing from the wound that was not at all a healthy color.

"How long have you had that?" He stepped towards her on instinct, full of concern.

She backed off, hand going to the hilt of her knife. "It was a blaster shot during the fight to get our last prize. It's nothing really."

"That's not nothing. It needs bacta."

Sanya shook her head, hand tightening on her weapon.

He thought he understood why she didn't want to be seen by a ship's surgeon. Lifting his hands to prove he meant no harm, he said gently. "If you and I were together, it's not a thing I would be likely to miss."

She thought about that and then changed the subject back to the matter at hand. "What else do we need to do to… convince them that we did… are doing… what you said?"

He could set the matter of her wound aside for the moment but he wasn't about to let it go completely. Her reputation wouldn't matter a bit if she died from an infected blaster shot. But she was right, they had been up here for a while now and the audience below would be expecting something to have started. "Well, we should probably be making a bit more noise."

As if to illustrate his point, an impassioned cry rang out from the other side of the thin wall that separated them from the next room. A groan of pleasure followed and then the rhythmic creaking of bed springs.

She couldn't look at him while their neighbors escalated in volume to their climax, so it was a complete shock when after they had quieted Johnny Beskar leaped onto the bed and cried out loudly, "Oh Captain!" The frame complained at his sudden weight and the brass headboard bumped sharply against the wall.

Sanya stared up at him with wide eyes and he held out his hand to her. "Don't tell me you and your sister never got in trouble for jumping on the bed?" He smiled a playful invitation.

It took her a few seconds to shed her boots but then she took his hand and joined him in standing on the bed. A jump of her own produced much more disappointing results since she couldn't have weighed much more than a belaying pin sopping wet. Still she was able to produce a rather lusty moan of, "Jooohnny!" that seemed to leave the rest of the building in an expectant hush.

Together in unspoken agreement they jumped again, hand in hand. They both cried out wordlessly and the headboard again knocked against the wall. They jumped again and there was a murmur from the crews downstairs.

"Faster?" Sanya whispered and then in sudden inspiration cried out, "Faster Johnny!"

He grinned at her, "Aye aye, Ma'am."

They jumped and danced and grunted and groaned like a couple of savages. And then with a nod they took one last jump, one last exclamation to kriffing Dxun and the salt gods, they crashed down together on the bed. The old bed frame couldn't take it and smashed to floor.

Sanya rolled towards him on the now slanted mattress and Beskar caught her in his arms. There was a moment of silence and then a loud cheer from the assembled crews in the dining room below. She laughed and he smiled and then his gaze wandered from her eyes down to her lips. But that was exactly what she had been attempting to avoid by all this.

Awkwardly she extricated herself from the wreckage and stood. Her hand went to her injured side and she bit back a yelp of pain.

He must have known that the topic wasn't up for discussion so instead he asked her. "Would you like me to get you a drink?"

"Aye," she answered through gritted teeth.

He thought for a moment about the best way to present himself and tore off his shirt before he made his way out the door. He pretended to be just tying up the front of his trousers as he descended the stairs and looked around unconcernedly at the eager audience. "What?"

"So you popped the Captain's muja!" a voice yelled out of the crowd.

Mr. Beskar frowned at the crass turn of phrase. "No, but if you are aware of who she bestowed that honor upon, I'd like to shake his hand."

More laughter and cheers followed and a few hands patted him on the back as he attempted to cross the room to the bar.

"And you're some kind of whore now!" called out another man. This voice Beskar knew as a member of his own crew who had never liked him.

The madam, Korina, shared a knowing glance with Mr. Beskar and saved him from answering to that. "I'll be taking my cut from whatever she's paying you for the repair or replacement of the bed you broke."

There was a roar of laughter and most of the patrons and their entertainers when back to their drinks.

Korina herself met Johnny at the bar and filled two glasses for him. "So you satisfied what she asked of you?" The madam asked him.

It wasn't a surprise to him that she was fully aware of what happened or didn't happen in her establishment. "I tried. Guess I still have some work to do to spread the tale as she wishes."

"It'll keep her safer, them seeing her as an equal." She muttered for his ears only.

"I hope so," he agreed honestly. Then he turned to her remembering his other concern. "Do you have any bacta?"

"Aye." she looked at him curiously. "She didn't cut you to get you to agree to the plan?"

He shook his head. "No. It's not for me. She's got a nasty blaster burn that she's too proud to get treated. I was hoping she'd let me see to it."

"You go on up with the drinks. I'll come up in a bit with some fresh linens and to survey the damage to my property. We'll see if we can't convince her together."


	11. Mhaegen

It totally slipped my mind that Wednesday was the day i usually post chapters of this. So here we go a little late. We begin with the events of the previous chapter from another point of view. Because, of course, Nya couldn't get away with such a thing without some sort of reaction.

* * *

When they'd arrived at the brothel, Leon's redheaded look-a-like was ready for him. She smiled from the doorway of one of the downstairs rooms and beaconed to him. Of course he had to make sure the captain was alright first. He had planned on doing something to celebrate her birthday. Aye, he remembered the date even if no one else did. However, before he could trust himself not to come on too strong he had a hunger that needed to be satisfied.

Sanya assured him that she would be fine even though she winced when she sat down like that blaster burn was still paining her. He'd ask her about it later. Maybe she just needed a little ale to dull the ache. That she had, and he'd be back soon.

Only not too soon. Nya's doppelganger had gone all out. She was in full costume. Maybe it was because she wanted to please him and was expecting the same extra payment? Maybe the Madam had told her girls to be extra nice to the crew of her savior? Or maybe the girl just liked the idea of stepping into the seaboots of the young captain who was swiftly becoming most independent and powerful woman in the north.

Whatever the case Leon grinned, and as he stooped to remove his own boots she treated him to another surprise. The tip of a knife under his chin caused him to look up at her.

"I thought maybe a little sparring match as foreplay?"

He chuckled in a low growl. Did she know he had fantasized about just such an event? He ignored his boots and drew his own knife. Then he gave her a come hither gesture with his free hand.

Her stance was all wrong. Her wrist and her grip on the hilt were weak but he could imagine his real objective in her place.

He stepped forward in a feint and she danced out of the way with a scream of a laugh. He tossed his weapon from his left hand to his right watching her look of concentration and then he lunged forward. It was a move that Nya had been able to parry since she was nine years old. This however was not Sanya Harkon.

The knife she had been holding clattered to the floor as she cried out and grabbed at the cut on her arm, blood already beginning to flow between her fingers from the shallow wound. Her eyes looked into his, wide with shock and pain.

"I-I'm sorry." He managed to say before she ran out of the room. He was paralyzed for a moment and then he sprung into action. Her… outfit! If the captain saw…

But when he ran after the girl into the dining room, the captain wasn't in the seat where he had left her. Maybe she'd just gone to the fresher. He couldn't worry about that now. He continued after the whore who's real name he didn't even know.

She had run directly to one of the other girls. It was the same girl who had tended to the wounded after the fight the last time they were here. She took in the situation with a practiced eye and got right to work on cleaning and bandaging.

Leon watched over her shoulder. "It'll be alright, won't it? I didn't mean to hurt her. It was an accident."

"Aye," the medic confirmed but she still glanced at him disdainfully. "It's only a shallow cut."

"Good." That handled he looked back to where Sanya had been seated before. She still hadn't returned. He turned again and looked at the whores. "You didn't happen to see where…"

Just then the bang of a headboard against a wall and a lusty male cry rang out from one of the upstairs rooms, "Oh Captain!"

It couldn't be. But then another creak of bedsprings and an unmistakable female voice answered, "Jooohnny!"

The entire place went silent as they listened to the sounds of escalating pleasure and the culminating breaking of the bed frame.

Leon swallowed hard. It was impossible. He had to have been imagining things. That absolutely under no circumstances could have been his Nya in the throes of passion with …. with…

A young man exited the room with a satisfied grin on his face doing up the front of his trousers. "What?" he asked the room at large.

"So you popped the Captain's muja!" a voice yelled out of the crowd.

The young sailor frowned. "No, but if you are aware of who she bestowed that honor upon I'd like to shake his hand."

Leon couldn't listen to anymore. He burst through the doors of the establishment out into the street. Angry and confused, he made his way back to the ship.

...

When Johnny had gone half way up the stairs with the glasses of spirits, Madam Korina called out loudly, "Meggie, better get a tray put together for the captain and her paramour."

The girl who had been seeing to her co-worker's injury looked up from the kitchen end of the bar. "Aye, Madam?" She was arguably the prettiest most asked for girl in the place with her smooth caff and cream skin and dark flowing hair. But she had other talents as well, and from the tone in her employer's voice she could tell that these would be the more necessary attributes for the occasion.

"It seems Mr. Beskar is a real blaster between the sheets." The Madam informed her and the rest of the common room. "They'll be needing your special brew for sustenance after that tussel."

"Aye, Madam." It only took her a fraction of a standard second to translate the innuendo. Though she hadn't heard shot, someone had suffered the blast. It must have happened before they came in. Who knew how long the wound had been festering?

Mhaegen checked her work on the other whore's arm and then quickly ducked into the pantry and began to load a tray with stims and a bottle of bacta and bandages along with a couple of bowls of soup just for the deception. She wondered how large the affected area was and then had an idea.

She poked her head out of the kitchen door and saw that she had caught Johnny Beskar just before he entered the room. She called out to him in her high sweet voice that carried over the sound of the rowdy common room, "Mr Beskar, exactly how big are we talking here?"

For all the Galaxy she might have appeared to be hoping to be the next to partake of whatever it was he had just dished out. There was a roar of jeers and tuka calls.

Johnny was only astonished for a moment before he caught on and smiled. He juggled the glasses to get a hand free and held it up to show her his palm. "About… give or take."

She gave him a nod of understanding and then for the benefit of the assembled sailors she licked her full lips before she returned to the pantry for another roll of bandages.

 _Salt gods_ , Mhaegen prayed for strength. If he was right and the Captain's blaster wound was a big as the palm of his hand what was she in for. She closed her eyes in another brief petition for the salt gods to guide her hands in her ministrations and then broke the cover of the back room and made her way skillfully through the tables of the common room, avoiding the groping hands of a few of the patrons and invitations for their company.

She ascended the stairs, tapped on the door, and was provided entry by the sailor. Mhaegen hardly gave him a second glance as she went straight to her patient.

This was her element. She took in the broken bed frame and the fully clothed girl lying upon it seemingly sleeping but more than likely passed out from the pain. "What can you tell me?" She asked Beskar.

"Er… we didn't…"

"About the blaster wound." Mhaegen sighed.

"Oh aye. I didn't get a good look at it. It's on her right side. It had sort of a cloth on it but that was peeling away and it was oozing."

"Hmm." The medic set her tray on the bedside table and knelt next to the patient.

Captain Sanya Harkon stirred in her sleep when Mhaegen rolled her to her side and exposed the makeshift bandage. She winced slightly at the smell of the infection. "Do you have any idea how long she's had this?"

"I just met her this afternoon." Johnny stood awkwardly and looked on. "When I saw that though… I had to say something to somebody."

"It's a good thing you did." The medic attempted to ease the cloth away from the burn. "This could have been the death of her if left untreated much longer. She must have nerves of steel to have let it go this long."

Besker supposed for the deception he ought to stay but it wasn't an easy thing to watch. "Is there something I can do or…"

"Just stay out of my way." Mhaegen said sharply, trying to concentrate and not cause her patient too much pain. Then by way of apology, "or have some soup?"

Then as the captain stirred again she thought better of it. "Mr Beskar could you go around the other side of the bed and hold her hands for me?"

He hurried to obey. "You want someone to be there to calm her when she wakes?"

"Well, that," Mhaegen glanced up at him quickly with a rye smile and then grunted as she put more effort into the distasteful task, "and I don't want her to pull one of those knives on me while I'm trying to help her."

He chuckled. "Good point." After that he had to turn his face away and breathe through his mouth so he wouldn't be sick.

Mhaegen let her breath out slowly and steadied herself to rip off the last of the cloth. "Ready?"

"Who me?" He took a firmer grip on the Captain's hands. "Oh aye." he kept his eyes on her face.

Then the prostitute turned medic gave the covering a final tug and Sanya woke with a gasp. Her hands did intend to go for her weapons. She let loose with a string of curses directed at the first face she saw which was Johnny Beskar's but he held tight to her hands and took the punishment.

"I'm going to give her a sedative." Mhaegen's voice turned the flow of harsh language in her direction. Then once the stym took effect, they all three relaxed.

"Thank you." Mhaegen nodded, but the job was only half over. She continued to work steadily and since Johnny was no longer needed and didn't really know how to be of help anyway, he took her up on the offer of the soup.

He paced around the room with the bowl in one hand and occasionally made gestures with the spoon in his other. "You're really very good at that," he told her. "How ever did you learn?"

Her hands stayed busy as she told the story. "My mother was a midwife and healer on one of the smaller islands. It was the sort of place where everyone knew everyone else and she was generally respected among them even though we weren't from there originally. It was home to me, the only place I ever remembered. Still the locals didn't really want their children playing with me.

"So I spent all my time with her growing up, and she taught me about wounds and diseases, how to bring babies into the world, and how to ease the passing of the old ones out of it." She pushed a sweaty curl out of her face with the back of her hand.

"My mother was an avid reader anytime there was extra money she would buy books and holos about the latest discoveries in medicine. She tried her best to practice her profession in the most modern way possible keeping up with new discoveries and wonder drugs."

Mheagen cleansed the burned area of the infection, treated it with the bacta and then rebandaged the wound to her own strict standards. Then she sat back with a sigh and continued. "It was really the islanders who were backward. They didn't want her to use the newer, safer methods, and one day a baby who she was on hand to deliver, died. The mother was close to death as well. My mother, against their wishes, used a medicine that she had ordered from off planet and the woman lived. They accused my mother of witchcraft."

A single tear fell down her cheek at the memory. "They burned her and forced me to watch as the smoke rose up to Dxun. I tried to gather her ashes in my hands when it was over and give her a proper burial at sea so that she could go to the salt gods halls but they wouldn't let me."

"That's kriffing awful!" The voice, that came from the patient, shocked them both. Neither of them had realized that Sanya was awake or that she was listening. "What happened then?"

Mhaegen gave a short laugh at the surprise, not at the story, and after wiping her cheeks, continued for both her listeners. "The islanders were going to burn down our home as well. I gathered as many things as I could before the smoke got too heavy and then I ran to find a boat I could escape in. It was just a little row boat but by some miracle, if you can call it that, before my limited food ran out, I was picked up by some fishermen and they said they knew where a pretty girl like me could find work." That last bit came out of her mouth more bitterly.

"But I can't really complain. Madam Korina has been kind to me. She has allowed me to use what I learned from my mother both with the other girls and occasionally when we have a wounded sailor." She nodded to the captain with a smile. "And in my free time I've done more studying and got better at it."

"Well, I guess I'm thankful you were here," said Sanya grudgingly.

"I'm glad I was, too." She bowed her head for a moment, humbly. "You're an inspiration to all of us, Captain Harkon, a young woman going out there and taking what she wants. It was an honor to be of some help."

Before Sanya could answer, Mhaegen reloaded her tray and took her leave.

…

Johnny Beskar stayed with Sanya through the night. He didn't have to do that and she made rather a show of saying goodbye to him in the morning and making sure he was well paid.

Sanya would have liked to have had the chance to say goodbye to her physician as well. Maybe it was a good thing though that she slipped away while Mhaegen was otherwise occupied. The midwife's daughter might have put her under strict orders to stay in bed for a few more days and that was something the captain of the _Bloody Galia_ was not prepared to do.

Thankfully her crew were obediently on their way to the dock or already on the ship as well. Though there was a bit of a disturbance by the gangway as she approached.

Now staying in bed was one thing, but she didn't think she was ready for a full blown physical confrontation. Quartermaster Hardicort was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest and he seemed to be preventing someone from coming aboard.

"What's all this about?" Sanya asked him, feeling the pain in her side again and glad she had his muscle if this came to a fight.

"This _gentleman_ , Captain," Leon sneered, "says you hired him as your new ship's surgeon. I wasn't aware of you acquiring any new crew members while we were on shore leave."

Sanya looked at the gentleman in question and nearly choked. Quickly she covered her astonishment.

The person standing before her had fine features and smooth caff and cream cheeks as if still too young to start shaving. The clothing was a mish mash of cast off pieces including a steel breastplate that looked like it might be as old as the Mandalorian wars. The hair that had once been flowing black curls was now close cropped.

"Well, I don't believe I hired anyone." The captain held back a smile. "What was your name again?"

"Marlon," a gruff voice answered and then the throat cleared. "Maybe you didn't officially give me the job but I did hear there was an opening for a healer." _Marlon_ held up a black doctor's bag as if it were all the reference _he_ needed.

"That's true enough." Sanya shrugged. She touched her side that twinged just then. "I've got a… bandage that needs changing. Show me you can do it and you can sail with us." She turned on her heel and marched up the gangplank to her beloved ship.

The new recruit had to push past Leon Hardicort to follow. The Quartermaster was not pleased. "Captain?" He protested.

"What? You know we've needed a healer for some time. When the salt gods provide you don't expect me to just turn one away?" She didn't leave any room for argument. She nodded to the prospective ship's surgeon to follow.

In another couple of minutes with the rest of the crew watching their progress avidly, the two of them were alone in the cabin with the door shut behind them.

"Mhaegen?" Sanya breathed happily.

"It's Marlon." She insisted with the same deep voice that she must have been trying to get used to but she also had a hint of a smile. She got right to work, determined to prove herself.

"Why didn't you just ask me? I could have brought you aboard as yourself." the Captain lifted her shirt not in the least shy in front of another female who had already worked on her once in the last twenty four standard hours.

"You'll excuse me." Some of the feminine lilt came back into her voice now that they were alone. "Too many of your crew _know_ me as a woman. I didn't think they'd take kindly to being treated medically by a whore."

"They'll be your crew as well," Sanya huffed, "and they'll be treated by a medical professional no matter how she chooses to dress herself. Ouch." The bacta had done her a world of good but the spot on her side was still tender and she would probably always have a scar.

"Does this mean I get the job?" Mhaegen asked.

"Of course." The captain pulled her shirt back down and tucked it in. "I owe you my life, don't I?"

"I suppose you do."

"And I'll keep your secret for as long as you need me to." Sanya grinned. "Still it will be nice to have another girl on board to talk about… things." She knew she sounded like a child when she said it, especially to someone so wise in the ways of the world.

Mhaegen nodded. "It's true then, what Beskar said, about your being a virgin?"

"I need you to keep my secret too."

"To keep us both safe from the wiles of men." The former whore smiled. She really was too pretty to be mistaken for anything but a beautiful young woman but Sanya guessed that people tended to see what they expected to see as long as you didn't give them a reason to suspect otherwise.

"What are you talking about? You get to be one of them." The captain shoved her new ship's surgeon playfully.

"And you can kriff any of them any time you like," then Mhaegen added, "Captain."

"Honestly we had better get back out there before they all suspect that's what we're getting up to in here."

"Aye aye, Captain. Though you must know, you're not really my type."

They laughed and then they both sobered up so that Captain Harkon could introduce the crew to their knew on board medic.

Before Sanya could step out of the cabin however, Leon Hardicort shoved his way in and slammed the door shut behind him leaving their newest crewmember outside and out of hearing. Of course he'd be upset. She should have consulted her quartermaster before hiring anyone. Still, she was the Captain. It was her ship. She waited for him to speak first.

He paced back and forth for a few more seconds and then rounded on her. He obviously had some grievance and she had a feeling it wasn't all about the new crew appointment. "Why didn't you tell me that the blaster burn was so bad?"

He was… worried about her. Sanya sighed. "I didn't think it was at first. It sort of… cauterized." She thought that was the right word for it. Of course it had done nothing of the sort. She had known there was a problem when she nearly passed out from the smell when she had done her own makeshift bandaging job before they went ashore.

She shrugged and built on the lie, "It sort of opened up again last night."

"Last night?" He went back to pacing and stroked his beard. "That…" he seemed to struggle with a term harsh enough, "manwhore seemed to think he wasn't your first."

"He wasn't," She answered levelly. That was true at least. "Not that it's any of your business. I don't ask you about what you get up to in that place."

He didn't look angry now he seemed more… hurt. "You have to be careful, Nya. What if… what if you fell pregnant?" His voice lowered almost to a whisper.

She almost laughed. "I won't."

"And you're so sure about that?"

"Apart from being a good medic, Marlon knows how to deal with that, too."

"Marlon?" Leon's jaw clenched. Was he jealous? He couldn't be. "And just what exactly is the story with this Marlon?"

This time she did laugh. "You think me and… I don't think he's even attracted to girls."

Leon's head whipped around as if he could see through the planks of the door and get a better look at their new recruit.

"Besides," Sanya continued, "I would never have a… relationship with a crew member. It's unprofessional."

He turned and stared at her again. Did he still not believe her?

She remembered something then, something that Beskar had suggested. Well, if she was going to do it she would rather it was someone like Leon who she trusted.

She turned her back to him with another sigh. "I haven't even shown Marlon this." She undid her belt and dropped her breeches to reveal the birthmark on her behind.

He was silent other than a sharp intake of breath. She wished he would say something.

With cheeks flaming as red as her hair, she pulled up her pants and cinched them tightly again around her narrow waist. The swift action caused her to brush against her bandaged side. The resulting twinge of pain cut through her embarrassment.

She spun to face him and blustered, "so you have nothing to worry about."

"Aye," Leon croaked before he hurried off to his own cabin.


	12. Arrangements

She's been hurt! The news was months old but Talya hung on to any little bit of information that filtered to the Hall about her twin. This particular holo publication had been passed around several of the Harkon fishing crews before it made its way into her hands.

Their mother would have called it a gossip rag. She would have scolded her one remaining daughter for believing such trash. Still Talya clutched at the flimsi and thanked the sailor profusely who had snuck it to her through the kitchen door one afternoon.

Talya had a memory of her twin meeting with a sailor at this door the night of their birthday party a year and a half ago. They must have been making plans to leave at the time. She wondered if that sailor was still with Sanya. Sanya had seemed to trust him.

"She's alright now." The sailor at the kitchen door attempted to reassure her. "At least that's what we've heard. Captain Harkon's got a ship's surgeon now to look after her. A real good one, they say."

"Thank you for letting me know." Talya smiled. "And for this."

"It was my pleasure, Miss." He touched the rim of his hat as he backed away before turning to walk back down to the docks where presumably his ship awaited.

Talya waited as long as she thought would be polite before she shut the kitchen door and hurried to find a quiet place to dive into the journal.

The story spoke of a battle at sea that had resulted in the young female captain taking a blaster wound to her right side. It was worse than she first let on and might have killed her if she hadn't spent the night in a brothel and been treated for the wound by an experienced healer.

'The Knife' also partook of other "entertainment" while she was staying in the establishment so the publication reported.

Talya's cheeks flushed red as she read of her sister's exploits. Maybe mother was right and she shouldn't be reading about such things. But if her twin was out there experiencing them…

Talya felt woefully ignorant about the subject. Mother wouldn't tell her anything about what it would be like when she traveled to Blackhold for her wedding night.

She was almost too embarrassed to look at the artist's rendition of Captain Harkon battling on the deck of her ship. The picture showed a young woman with the front of her shirt torn open to prove to her opponent that he was being bested by a female. Surely Sanya had never really done such a thing!

But she was okay! The sailor had said that she was doing well after her injury and had a healer on board to treat her. Talya breathed a sigh of relief. She hid the flimsi journal under her bed with what other scraps she had been able to gather and tried to imagine what Sanya was really doing right now and then a little belatedly remembered to offer up a prayer to the salt gods for her continued safety.

She would tell Papa later what she had learned. Mother wouldn't want to know. She had chosen to think of her youngest child as safe in the hands of the salt gods.

Right now there was someone else who Talya wanted to talk to. If mother wouldn't explain to her about the ways of a husband and wife, there was another female experienced in that position in the Hall. Perhaps Dalla could enlighten her as to what to expect in just a few months after she met Jamos Blackwell at the salt formation.

Dalla Flint Harkon, as it turned out, was more than happy to share her expertise. And she did appear to be an expert on the subject. Maybe they were Flint family secrets and that's why their family managed to be so prolific.

By the time she had finished with her lesson, Talya was well versed on the most common methods of how to achieve and avoid pregnancy, with or without the full cooperation of her husband. Her cheeks were burning as red as her hair especially when the instruction veered off into the more personal direction of the first hand experience of her sister-in-law with Talya's older brother.

Dalla sighed a bit smugly. She couldn't have been trying to embarrass the naive younger girl, could she? But then she demurred with what might have been a shade of guilt. "I didn't really intend for Herron to believe it was his fault that we haven't conceived again after Betha. I just keep thinking about what your father said about betrothing her to the Blackwell boy. I can't imagine what sort of plans he'd envision for the next baby."

Some of Talya's discomfort at the subject matter faded with her compassion for the young mother. "He's said he wouldn't do anything until she's older and that you and Herron would have the final say on any arrangements." She encouraged. "And besides it would be rather strange to have my niece be betrothed to my nephew if I'm to be officially betrothed to Jamos as soon as there ever comes a clear enough day that we can get a connection on the comm."

Talya didn't really know whether to hope for that eventuality or not. In some ways she was even more afraid of her upcoming nuptials after her crash course on human reproduction but it would be so much better just to have the matter settled once and for all.

And then a clear day finally arrived. The entire Harkon family (barring their youngest daughter who was still away somewhere at sea) gathered around the holo communication table to witness the betrothal of Talya to Jamos Blackwell. They had brought in a special holo comm tech but still the connection was rather fuzzy.

Talya peered through the image noticing that the entire Blackwell clan was also in attendance even Miara and her little boy. The nearly four-year-old squirmed as if he didn't care much for the proceedings and Talya thought she sensed Dalla holding Betha a little tighter when the hologram materialized.

Jamos hadn't looked in her direction as of yet, so Talya took the opportunity to study him. He was tall and thin like she remembered though he had filled out some and wasn't quite so gangly. He was clean shaven but his hair was a bit too long or mother probably would have said so.

Was she looking for something to be wrong with him? No, it wasn't that. And then he turned his face to his right to look at his nephew and she saw it, even in the grainy holo, the thin white line along his tanned left cheek. It was the scar that Sanya had given him.

He seemed to notice her staring and she gave a little gasp as he turned back to face her and their eyes met. Their shared gaze locked until Lady Blackwell crooned, "Aww isn't it sweet. They can't take their eyes off each other."

After that and all during the proceedings Talya found her shoes more interesting than the occasional glances she dared to aim in Jamos's direction. He likewise seemed determined to prove his mother's statement false. It wasn't like they really needed to look at each other for the negotiations to be finalized. They didn't even have to say anything more than, "Aye," that they would be obedient to the arrangements their fathers were making for them.

Their fathers had said nearly everything that needed to be said when the connection suddenly cut out on the holo transmission.

"What was that?" Lord Blackwell bellowed. "Was it on our end our theirs? Salt gods know it was probably theirs." He complained, finishing in a mumbling growl. "Figuring on the technology that Harkon's able to afford…"

"Algy!" Lady Blackwell exclaimed aghast. "What if they were to connect again just in time to hear you say such a thing?"

"Gah! Doesn't matter anyway. We got the gist of the thing."

Jamos laughed. He wasn't really paying attention to his father's ranting. He had discovered the culprit of the sudden disconnection. While they were all distracted little Alon had decided to try his own hands at the holo device's control panel. He was hiding just out of sight of his parents and grandparents but gave his uncle a conspiratorial grin.

Jamos knelt down and offered his hand for the boy to shake. "Nice job, you little rogue. That was getting awfully boring, wasn't it?"

"Oh, Jamos be serious." Miara swooped in to gather up her son and carry him away to discipline him for the disturbance.

"I am being serious." Jamos shrugged out of the formal cloak he'd been wearing.

"But what did you think of her?" his mother asked.

"She was pretty, I guess, polite, obedient… I don't really know anymore about her than before." He knew more about her sister, at least what all the rumors said about her sister. He had a copy of that article with the scandalous artist's rendition in a box on the top shelf of his closet. Talya hadn't looked anything like that for all their being identical.

He didn't know what he had expected. They weren't the eleven year old girls he had convinced to spy out those drexl eggs with him all those years ago.

Lady Blackwell reached up and patted her younger son on his scared cheek. "I think she'll be just the thing to settle you down."

He tried to smile but what if he didn't want to settle down? What if he wanted to take a sheet of flimsi out of Sanya's book?


	13. Going On The Account

"You'll excuse me, Captain, but you're not acting much like someone who's celebrating her 16th birthday."

Sanya's ship's surgeon had asked to speak with her privately before she went ashore on Flint Locke but she still wasn't sure what the reason was for the interview. "I'm not the only one."

"Not the only…" Mhaegen repeated inquisitively and then realized, "your sister."

"Today's the day our parents sell my sister away to a boy who she barely knows and who has repeatedly insulted her."

"Are you sure he meant to insult her?" The direction of the conversation must have gotten away with what she initially wanted to discuss but Mhaegen persisted. "It's been so long ago. Two years isn't it since you've seen your sister and longer still since the two of you met the young man. He might have changed or she might have. You certainly have."

"I haven't changed," Sanya argued crossing her arms over her chest. "And I can't see how Talya or Jamos Blackwell will have magically transformed since the last time I saw either one of them."

"Well, no. But you have matured, grown more confident. Everyone does. You don't require your quartermaster's guidance and approval in everything the way you used to."

"Leon?" Is that what this was all about? Sanya knew that her second in command and her medic had never gotten along. "No, I suppose I don't. But he's my friend. Maybe my best friend besides you and Talya." She stopped. What if Talya had changed? It had been two years. Maybe her twin wasn't the way she remembered anymore. She swallowed.

Mhaegen nodded but she didn't drop the subject. "I still think you should be careful of him."

Sanya waved off the worry. "Leon is like my brother. He's certainly been a better brother to me than Herron ever was."

"Your brother is married and has a child."

"Aye." What did that have to do with anything?

"Many people are content with that life. Your sister might be…"

The captain interrupted her with a grunt of derision.

Mhaegen tried a different tact. "Is it possible that part of this stems from the fact that you have never experienced what your sister is about to take part in tonight?"

"You mean am I jealous that she's going to be kriffed by Jamos Blackwell? Not kriffing likely!" Sanya huffed and began to pace. "It's just that she's going to be anchored to him, to Blackhold! She'll never be free!"

"But if that's what she wants…"

"It doesn't matter what she wants! She'll do whatever our Mother and Papa tell her to do!"

Mhaegen tilted her head, studying the captain. "And what is it you want?"

"I'm sixteen now. I can walk into any bar in the north and they can't refuse me a drink."

"So you plan to get roaring drunk." The Medic surmised knowing that she couldn't dissuade the captain even if she tried. "And what if you become so insensible that any old lout feels that he can take advantage of you?"

"Wouldn't that be something if my twin and I both lost our virginity on the same night?" She laughed humorlessly.

This was the point the former whore had been trying to get around to. "Then you should at least be prepared for the eventuality."

"What do you mean?" Sanya asked, now curious at her trusted healer's tone.

Mhaegen drew from her pocket a hypo injector. "This just arrived in my latest medical shipment from offworld. Doctors in the core are developing methods to… stop a woman from conceiving. I was researching the subject while I was working for Madam Korina but this is the first tangible proof I've had that something like this exists."

The captain was silent, listening intently. Mhaegen took a breath and continued, "I haven't tested it myself. I have no idea how long it would work or if it would work too well, if and when the… subject would be able to have children if they later changed their minds."

Sanya rolled up her sleeve to reveal her bicep for the injection. "Well, you're welcome to test it on me."

Mhaegen hesitated.

"Couldn't hurt right?" the Captain shrugged. "Nobody'd want me for a mother and it might be an extra level of protection in case I do get the urge to throw myself at some poor unsuspecting bloke this evening."

All the data that Mhaegen had about the medication was that it was safe. It didn't have any crazy side effects or interactions, and it really was supposed to provide the desired results. She just didn't know about the dosage and how long it would last. She would have tested it on herself first if she wasn't posing as a man and unlikely to have the opportunity to prove the effectiveness. It was the very reason she had requested to speak to the captain. "Alright."

Sanya winced a little when the drug was injected. Funny as she was used to all sorts of other lacerations and injuries.

"Now it's not a license to just…" Mhaegen started into her medical advice.

"To kriff every sailor I meet in the bar tonight?" the Captain rolled back down her sleeve with a smirk. "I wasn't planning on it. But if somebody comes along…"

Mhaegen nodded. She understood that for all Sanya's bluff and bluster she really did want to share that first time with somebody special. The medic hoped, for the captain's sake, that that somebody might not be Leon Hardicort.

…

Now to find that bar. Not that it would be difficult in a port as small as Flint Locke. Sanya reveled in her own freedom. Maybe Mhaegen was right. Maybe Talya was ready to be married and settle down to have a family. She had told her twin as much before Sanya absconded with the wedding ship, even though Sanya had never believed her. Maybe Sanya had been projecting her own feelings of being stifled and trapped onto her sister.

Anyway she couldn't let herself dwell on that now. She was going to get good and drunk and not waste a moment thinking about the Blackwells…

That was when she saw the light blue banner emblazoned with the black ship flying among the masts in the harbor. It was only attached to a little fishing bark. Surely none of the family members themselves would lower themselves to sail on such a craft. And it didn't look as if the captain even meant to drop anchor.

One lone sailor stumbled his way down the gangway before it was lifted again. He raised his hand to wave at his former crew and then began to survey his surroundings.

Sanya continued to watch him. She really had no idea what it was about him that held her interest. He was tall and thin with dark wavy hair, a mustache, and a small bit of a beard on his chin. He also had the most ridiculous sideburns she had ever seen, meticulously groomed, thin as a blade that came to a point on each of his cheekbones. Despite all this he might be said to be… attractive.

With his ship and crew leaving without him and the way he bumbled around the dock with no particular purpose, he didn't seem to have a place to spend the night. Perhaps he'd like the honor of attending to the pirate queen of the northern sea? Sanya laughed at the idea.

He appeared to be a bit of an idiot, though, not paying attention to where he was going and running into a couple of pedestrians as he looked out over the forest of masts that were left after his previous berth had sailed away.

She wondered why they'd left him. Had he done something wrong? Or maybe he wasn't a sailor at all and he had just paid for passage and his money ran out before he could get any further. Sanya wasn't in the market for any new crew members anyway, but she was intrigued.

And then he seemed to find what he was looking for. He stood stock still and stared. At what? She followed his line of sight. He was staring at her ship.

The captain of the _Bloody Galia_ believed the bar could wait for a few minutes, at least until her curiosity had been satisfied.

He didn't even look at her as she sidled up to him and spoke in a simpering female voice. "It is a pretty ship, isn't it?"

"She." He spared her half a glance before gazing again at the _Galia_. "She's the most beautiful ship on the northern sea."

"You seem to know _all_ about ships and sailing." Sanya complimented sappily. "What would you say that it is about her that makes her so… special?"

Then she listened as he gave a full discourse on the unique design and features of the craft. She couldn't help the rush of pride as he described the elements that she herself had suggested and seen to fruition. She also couldn't help but be more than a little impressed at his expertise on the subject. He even mentioned how well maintained the hull and rigging were though the planking had been seasoned by a couple of years of sailing.

"Salt gods! You do know all about it, don't you?" she continued with her girlish trill and he blushed a little at the praise. "The captain of that ship must be a big strong man like you."

He puffed out his skinny chest like a mollymauk in mating season and boasted, finally looking in her direction. "Of course, that's my ship!"

Sanya laughed. "Dxun no, mate, that's my ship."

She left him standing there to watch her walk off towards the pub. She may have even given her hips an extra sway for his enjoyment. He must know who she was if he knew everything else about the _Bloody Galia_. Maybe he had even seen that ridiculous publication about all her exploits on the high seas. The picture didn't even look like her and she had certainly never bared her breasts while she was in combat.

She wondered what (whoever he was) thought about her now that he'd seen her in the flesh. Well, he hadn't seen much of her actual flesh but the night was young.

He followed her to the bar just like she had known he would and she threw open the door before he could offer to be chivalrous and open it for her.

She was greeted with a round of cheers. Leon was already there along with most of her crew. Sanya had expected her quartermaster to find a brothel first and meet up with her later she was touched by the thought and went to sit beside him all but forgetting about the young man who had followed her here.

Then she grinned and called out, "Ale for everybody, on the house! I'm finally old enough to not have to have to stab the pub keep to order it!"

There were more cheers and the sound of pints being drawn for every man in the room along with the little female captain. Over it all however she heard the voice of that sailor she'd met out on the dock, "That's really Sanya 'the Knife' Harkon?"

"That's right and she's the best captain on the northern sea!" She heard her bosun's mate say and clink glasses with the stranger.

There were drinks and cheers and bawdy songs. It was a much better party than what she'd had last year. Through all of it however she could feel the eyes of the stranger. She glanced back at him a few times. Why did he seem so familiar? She wondered. She tried to put it out of her mind.

After a few more rounds she had moved closer to Leon. Maybe she wanted to see if it would make the stranger jealous. She laid her hand on the quartermaster's knee and he slipped his arm around her waist.

The alcohol must have been getting to her when she remembered the thing she was trying to forget and could raise her glass to it. "A toast to my twin who's getting married tonight!" She threw back the liquid and then turned towards Leon. "Finally getting a taste of what her baby sister is so experienced at!" She took his bearded face in her hands and pulled him towards herself to kiss him hard on the mouth.

Leon Hardicort gladly reciprocated and hauled the captain onto his lap. But the kiss didn't last near as long as he would have liked it to.

There was a crash as the stranger dropped his mug. Most of the men laughed but Sanya looked back at him and their eyes met. There was that feeling again that she knew him from somewhere.

"I don't believe I caught your name before."

"It's ah…" He dithered. "Jak. Jak Frasier." Maybe it was the crack in his voice like the adolescent boy she'd met all those years ago. Or maybe it was the way he ran his thumb across the sideburn on his left cheek as if making sure that the scar beneath it was still hidden.

He wasn't a Frasier. Sanya knew exactly who he was. But if he was here, he wasn't at Harkon Hall. He had insulted her sister again! Left her at the altar!

She must have stiffened at the realization because Leon's arm tightened around her.

"Are you okay, Captain? Do you need to go out for a breath of air?" the quartermaster whispered against her ear and she shivered.

"No, I…" She didn't know what to do or say. How could she have thought him attractive? He was a monster. But if he was here then… Talya was free of him!

A smile spread over her face and she turned once again towards Leon. "Maybe it's about time we went back to my cabin."

Jamos Blackwell or Jak Frasier or whatever he wanted to call himself, wouldn't have the privilege of his Harkon bride tonight or her sister. Let him think that the captain of the _Bloody Galia_ was using the cabin that should have been his to the very fullest on this night.

Quartermaster Hardicort gave her a lusty growl. "Aye, aye, Captain." He stood from his seat with her still in his arms and then let her lightly to the ground.

Taking his hand she led him from the bar and out into the balmy evening. She leaned against him as they walked back toward the ship trying to give the impression that she was far more intoxicated than she really was to anyone who might be watching.

Once they reached the deck of the only home she had known for the past two years she broke away from him and went to stand at the rail. "Thank you," she said softly, "For pretending back there."

"Pretending?"

She could feel him standing close behind her. It made her feel safe. He had always been there to protect her. "I didn't like the look of that... Frasier. You sure made it look believable that we were together."

"Sanya, I…" he began, but before he could say any more she rushed off toward her cabin.

"I have a bit of a headache. Could you send Marlon in to give me something for it?"

…

He didn't want to fetch the healer for her. He wanted to go to her himself. A little headache? He was sure he could take care of that. He could make her forget her pain and her sister and that kriffing pretty boy from the bar. Tonight he would show her everything he'd been dreaming of. That kiss had only been the beginning.

But it turned out that he didn't need to find Marlon. The ship's surgeon must have seen them return, heard that he was requested. The medic was quicker on the draw. He slipped into the captain's cabin before Leon could protest with his black bag and locked the door, some sort of doctor patient confidentiality.

Leon growled. He could wait till the doc came back out. So he waited and he waited and then he decided he needed another drink.

The idea came to him as he walked back towards the pub. They didn't really need another crew member. She said she didn't like the look of Frasier but he was the bloke who had finally pushed Sanya into Leon's arms. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have him around.

Leon could see that there was an opening in the roster. For now he would enjoy that drink and telling the story of how he had given the captain a birthday she would long remember. Other plans were hatching themselves in the mind of the quartermaster as well, plans for the future they would share.

…

The Bloody Galia was already underway when Sanya rose late the next morning. It was true that she hadn't wanted to stay in port long. Leon must have remembered her saying something of the sort and already given the order. She was glad of it, glad she could trust him to handle things while she slept off the alcohol and the pain of… well…

She stood in front of her mirror and peeled off the bandage covering her new tattoo. It was a ship, her ship riding the waves over her heart towards her left shoulder. It still hurt a bit for the fabric of her shirt to rub against it. She pulled her collar down out of the way so that it was clearly visible before she stepped out onto the deck.

"Good morning, Captain." Leon smiled at her and stepped closer than he would have dared before their encounter last evening. He delicately touched the image that had been burned into her flesh. "That's a nice bit of ink there."

"You think so?" She winced.

He lowered his voice. "Is that what you and the healer were up so late doing last night?"

"Aye. Marlon is good with a needle."

"I see."

"And I see you've got us underway, Mr. Hardicort." She marched away from him, across the deck, overseeing her domain.

"Aye." He replied. "Only a little bit of a hiccup in the offing."

"Oh, and what was that?" She spun on her heel towards him but she thought she already knew when she saw who had come up to stand behind her quartermaster.

"Flint, the bosun's mate took ill and couldn't continue on with us from the Locke." Leon put his hand on the other young man's shoulder. "Frasier here will be taking up his position. I believe the two of you have met?"

"Aye." Sanya ground her teeth. "We've met."


	14. Keeping Up

It seems that Jamos and Sanya were not the only children representing their noble families on the small isle of Flint Locke that evening. So lets go back just a bit and revisit the events of the last chapter from another point of view.

* * *

"Hello, Father." Yutton Bralykburn entered the lord's presence like any supplicant approaching a king's throne. At least that's the way it felt as he walked across the threshold into the Keep's great hall where his father sat on a carved wooden chair atop a riser of stone.

The lord of the Keep liked to exhibit his modicum of power in his own domain. He also liked to remind his son that one day this would all be his. But for now it was most certainly not. "Ah the prodigal returns."

"You sent a messenger and requested that I come at once." Yutton said dryly. He was sure he knew what this was all about. He had probably heard the news before it had reached the Keep but he couldn't ignore a summons from his father. He generally stayed as far away as he could from the island he would someday inherit or at least from the man who ruled over it until that day came. That was easier to do since the Blood Moon with the mild winters and calm seas.

"And I greatly appreciate your prompt obedience." He would have punished anything less. He smiled, letting the silence become uncomfortable.

Yutton was used to the ploy. "So why have you ordered me here, Father?" He had come directly from his ship and would like at least to make use of his own fresher for a hot bath and his own comfortable bed while he was here.

The lord gave a short laugh and then flung a holo publication at the feet of his son. It wasn't the infamous retelling of the exploits of the female pirate but it did concern another member of her family. "It looks like you've missed your chance with the Harkon girl."

With a sigh, Yutton bent to pick up the flimsi document and perused the print and pictures. "Aye." It was as he suspected, the story of the formalized betrothal between Jamos Blackwell and Talya Harkon. The match had been a foregone conclusion for years. The fact that words had been said to seal the deal wasn't really of any interest to him. "What does this have to do with me?" He tossed the publication back toward the lord's dais.

"What does it have to do with you?" Lord Bralykburn sneered. "It has everything to do with you! You should have been out there pursuing the girl with more determination."

Yutton had heard all this before. He was done with the accusations. He spat on the stone floor. "We both know this had nothing to do with the groom and everything to do with Harkon's bank balance."

That brought on an even greater laugh from his father but Yutton knew it wasn't the end of this. The old man studied him, "Of course you know what you have to do now?"

"And what is that exactly?"

Lord Bralykburn leaned forward on his wooden throne and lowered his voice conspiratorially, "Hunt down and tame the nexu."

That he hadn't been expecting. "W-what?"

"The other one," the lord waved his hand as if the Harkon twins were interchangeable. "Haven't you always wondered if the rumors were true about that birthmark on her shebs?"

Yutton rolled his eyes to the mercy of the salt gods. It had always rankled him that he couldn't tell the twins apart from their physical appearance. He remembered that time he had tried to speak to Talya alone and ended up with the Knife sneering at him. But they had hardly been more than children then and now Sanya… "There are plenty of other rumors going around about her as well."

Lord Bralykburn shrugged. "So you won't have to pay her father off for her purity. She's still got noble blood and perhaps the Harkons'll give you a reward for bringing their lost pup back into polite society."

That brought a snort from his son. Sanya Harkon had never belonged in polite society.

"Besides," the lord went on. "Get the girl and you get that fine ship she sails on."

If there was one thing that all witnesses agreed on, it was the consentient opinion that the _Bloody Galia_ was the most beautiful craft ever to sail the northern sea. Could he do it, though?

"What's the matter?" his father jeered. "Don't think you can overtake a little girl playing pirates?"

"Of course I could!" Yutton spat.

The lord laughed out loud again. "Then prove it boy! Go and take your Harkon bride and that Dxun of a dowry ship she stole!"

…

Yutton couldn't believe he'd let his father goad him into this. He hadn't even gotten that bath in his own fresher or to sleep in his own bed before he left the Keep again to go out searching for what would most likely be just a mist on the waves. He followed the rumors and hearsay to Flint Locke and low and behold not long after he had sat down to a hand of cards in the pub, the word came from the harbor that the _Bloody Galia_ had docked.

"This is your chance then!" His first mate, and one of the few crew members who he'd let in on the purpose of their mission, whispered anxiously into his ear.

Yutton waved the man away and focused on his hand. The cards weren't going his way. He should fold, maybe…

"Just wait. Let's see how this plays out."

Several of the men from the _Galia_ 's crew wandered into the establishment and Yutton tried to size them up over the top of his cards. He wasn't certain how they had managed to build up such a dubious reputation.

Evidently neither was his first mate. "We could take them, Capt'n!" the man hissed in his ear again. "Especially after they've been drinking for a bit. They're celebrating something."

"Aye." Yutton knew exactly what they were celebrating. It was four years to the day from the last time he had seen the ship's captain, at that party for her and her twin's 12th birthday. Honestly he hadn't expected to get this close to the objective his father had set.

"Well?"

Yutton ignored his crew member and played his mediocre hand. His opponent had been bluffing and submitted to him a pile of credit chips before leaving the table and letting another man take his place.

It was then as the next hand was being dealt that the Knife herself burst into the establishment. Her crew gave her a cheer and then Sanya grinned and called out, "Ale for everybody, on the house! I'm finally old enough to not have to have to stab the pub keep to order it!"

"It's her!" The first mate elbowed his captain, stating the obvious.

"Aye." Yutton picked up the cards that had been dealt to him and made a show of studying them so as to hide his face from the newcomers. He accepted the mug of ale that was brought to him in honor of the uppity female with a nod, but neither she or her companions were paying him any mind.

There was someone else however who had slunk in behind the Knife who was paying her undivided attention.

"Kriff," Yutton muttered under his breath. He recognized his rival, Jamos Blackwell, the moment he sat down at the bar.

 _What was he doing here? Wasn't today supposed to be his wedding day?_ Yutton tried to remember what that holo announcement had said about the betrothal. He was certain that it had given the date of the bride's 16th birthday as when the blessed event would occur.

"What's the matter? Bad hand?" The nearly toothless sailor sitting across from him at the card table lisped.

"What?" Yutton glanced at his cards and then shoved some credits toward the center of the table, distractedly. "No, I'm in."

His attention went back to the bar where Sanya was nearly sitting in the lap of the man beside her though she continued to throw curious looks at Blackwell, not quite seeming to recognize him.

"When are we going to make our move?" Yutton's first mate hissed, impatiently.

"Not yet." Yutton sipped his ale, drew another card and called the other man's bet while he waited to see what would happen next.

And something did. Sanya Harkon raised her glass. "A toast to my twin who's getting married tonight!" She threw back the liquid and then turned towards the man beside her. "Finally getting a taste of what her baby sister is so experienced at!" She took his bearded face in her hands and pulled him towards herself to kiss him hard on the mouth.

Jamos Blackwell dropped his mug. There was laughter and Sanya studied him.

"I don't believe I caught your name before."

"It's ah… Jak. Jak Frasier," he dithered and ran his thumb across the sideburn on his left cheek as if making sure that the scar beneath it was still hidden.

Her eyes widened with the realization that this was no Frasier. And then a whole gamut of emotions crossed her features. She had obviously come to the same conclusion that Yutton had a few minutes before. If Jamos Blackwell was here then her sister wasn't getting married tonight.

There was a whispered conversation between the Knife and the man she had kissed and then with a grin she led him away from the bar. Who knows what was going through her mind just then other than finding a place where the two of them could finish their _conversation_ in private.

After they left Yutton looked again at Jamos Blackwell. The younger man's Adam's apple bobbed in a hard swallow and he seemed unsure how to proceed.

Yutton started to stand up before a hand was laid on his arm. "We ain't finished playing yet."

"Oh, aye." Yutton laid down his cards. It was a good hand, the best hand in the game as luck would have it.

The other player cursed and threw down his own cards in dismay.

But Yutton was hardly paying attention. He stood and took a step towards the bar.

"Your winnings, sir?" The first mate asked.

"Aye." He waved it off as unimportant. "You take care of it."

When Yutton looked again at the bar, the second son of Blackwell was nowhere to be found. "Kriff," he said again as he plunged out into the night after the other two children of the north's nobility. He was sure that Jamos had seen the same hungry look in the eyes of the _gentleman_ with whom Sanya had left the pub.

The Knife could most likely take care of herself. She had been marauding for two years now and had probably come up against far worse than an amorous admirer. She had always been good with a blade. It's not like Jamos Kriffing Blackwell should have forgotten that.

"Hold on there!" Yutton caught up to his one time rival and grabbed his shoulder to stop his advance.

"But you don't understand. That was…" Jamos cocked his thumb toward the harbor where the _Bloody Galia_ lay at anchor but before he could finish the statement he realized who it was that had impeded his progress. "Bralykburn? What on Dxun are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question." Yutton crossed his arms over his chest and looked up at the slightly taller youth. "Weren't you supposed to be marrying one of the Harkon twins this very night and not the one who just made her way out of that pub?"

Jamos smiled guiltily. "Would you believe I boarded the wrong ship?"

"No, and I doubt the Harkons will either."

"They can't be too worried yet. My ship might've got held up by the wind or the weather."

Yutton huffed. "Well, it won't take them long to figure it out. It's not that long a voyage from the Hold to the Hall."

Jamos grimaced but he didn't speak again he was too busy staring at something over Yutton's shoulder.

Yutton turned to see what it was.

Sanya Harkon was standing at the rail of her ship gazing at the harbor. She had taken off her hat, holding it in her hands and the moonlight danced off her red hair both from above and from the reflection of the water below. It could have just as easily been Talya standing there and Yutton cursed himself again for not being able to better tell them apart.

"I swear I didn't know she was going to be here." Jamos lowered his voice as if worried she might overhear them talking.

And then the man from the pub who she had kissed earlier stepped up close behind her. It was obvious from their point of view what his intentions were. After a few minutes she moved away from him, but he followed her presumably toward her cabin.

Jamos made a move toward the ship, whether out of dumb chivalry or something else Yutton didn't know, and he put out a hand to stop him, "She's made her choice."

Jamos stood fast and swallowed, "Aye."

"It's time for you and I to make ours. Come on." An idea was forming in Yutton's mind as he shunted the other lord's son back towards the pub.

At the entrance Yutton's first mate handed him the bag of credits, his winnings from the card table. He didn't seem to have noticed his captain's companion. "Are we going to take the ship while she's distracted?" He growled in a low voice, impatient for action.

But Jamos had heard as well. "You're not going to…"

Yutton groaned, "Assemble the crew and wait for me."

The first mate hurried to obey but Jamos stared slack jawed.

Yutton turned to him. "It's why we came here. But now…" he indicated a seat at an empty table and gestured for Jamos to sit. "Part of that's up to you."

Jamos sat but he huffed, "I won't be a party to…"

"Stealing back the ship she stole from you?" Yutton asked, amused.

The taller young man slunk further into the chair. "It's like you said, she made her choice."

"And you made yours when you left her sister at the salt formation. You sure you weren't afraid you were being forced to marry the wrong one?"

"I didn't want to be forced to marry either of them." Jamos, the pampered brat, pouted. "I told you I had no idea she was going to be here."

Yutton took a moment to put his thoughts together. He could still make the attempt to take the ship with Sanya on it. Most of her crew were here getting drunk and her mind was surely not on attack at the moment. But the very presence of this sorry excuse for a noble second son had opened up another option. "What are your plans now?" Yutton asked him.

"Me?" Jamos sat up a little taller. "I'll find a ship, a crew to join. I just want to sail. I never wanted to play the game." Then he brightened. "I could join your crew!"

"No," Yutton answered flatly. "That won't be happening." He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "So this wasn't just some kind of detour. You're not planning on going back to Harkon Hall and honoring your betrothal contract?"

"No way on Dxun!" Jamos actually laughed. "I'm finally free of all that. You don't think I would willingly submit to…"

"Aye!" Yutton looked around to see if anyone was watching them and tried to gesture for the other young man to settle down and shut up. "You're not going back. So," he lowered his own voice considerably, "Talya Harkon is free as well."

"Free as a Mollymauk!" Jamos grinned and gave his long arms a birdlike flap, nearly upsetting a server's tray. He took a mug to lighten the load and gave it a swig. "As far as I'm concerned she's all yours."


	15. Quartermaster

Leon Hardicort very nearly got what he wanted in the last two chapters. Now we shall see if he gets what he deserves.

* * *

Mhaegen left the captain's cabin and shut the door behind her only to utter a rather unmanly gasp when confronted by Mr. Leon Hardicort.

"Is she alright?" he growled.

Mhaegen cleared her throat and kept her voice low. "It's just women's issues. She's got the cramps."

"Oh."

That got the quartermaster to back off, but it was a lie. Since the day two months ago when the medic had given the captain that hypo injection, Sanya had ceased to have her monthly cycle. It was Mhaegen who's innermost female parts were twisting in agony at the moment, making her deception all the more difficult to maintain.

Earlier when they had spoken about it the captain had shrugged and smiled. "Well it worked. That's what it's supposed to do, aye? I'm certainly not going to wish for all that back."

It almost made Mhaegen consider giving herself a dose of the medication. It would make it easier, keeping her identity from becoming public.

She had a secret desire, however, one she could never tell another soul, that she might some day have a husband and children. Maybe it was a futile hope after her past and her current disguise but she just couldn't risk shutting down that dream altogether. If she could ever find a man that she might want to have a family with…

Her thoughts were interrupted by yet another crew member coming to inquire after the captain. Bosun's Mate Jak Frasier drew her first to a spot where they couldn't be overheard before he whispered, "She's not pregnant, is she?" He seemed honestly concerned for someone so recently added to their number.

"No," Mhaegen barked in her Marlon voice. She was fairly certain that Jak had yet to discover her secret but the captain had let her in on his. He didn't know that however. "Why would you think..."

The color rose in his perfectly groomed cheeks and he frowned expressively. "A-after what happened at the brothel…"

 _Oh, that's right. It had been the first time that Sanya had played her little scheme since he had joined the crew. She hadn't been planning on taking a decoy partner to one of the rooms on that particular visit._

 _For her more recent deceptions the captain had seen to it that she arrived at the establishment before any of the rest of her crew. She would employ one of the girls to sit in wait in the room and then when she chose her unsuspecting paramor she would let the two of them go at it while pretending that she had spent the evening in debauchery._

 _It was a clever ruse. Of course she had to stay there in the room with them which wasn't exactly comfortable. But it worked, and they were both well paid._

 _Sanya hadn't gotten to this particular brothel soon enough to set the stage. She was planning on just eating and drinking to enjoy the evening, until she saw a familiar face…_

 _"Johnny!" She jumped up from the table where she sat with Leon and a few of her other officers and ran to him. In her exuberation she almost knocked him off his feet. Well, foot, she realized. "What happened to you?"_

 _"What didn't happen to me?" He laughed._

 _"I want you to tell me all about it." But she didn't lead him back to the table with her quartermaster and the others. Instead she cocked an eyebrow toward one of the bedroom doors. "Maybe after…"_

 _With a devious grin he assented. "Aye, captain."_

She filled Mhaegen in later on about all he had told her about a treasure ship and a storm at sea and a mutiny in which he had lost his leg. She wasn't sure how much of it was true. He was a very good story teller.

 _"So you really are Johnny Beskar now." She had teased him._

 _"Well," he knocked on the prosthetic, "it's really synth-steel, not quite Mandalorian iron."_

 _She showed off to him a few of her new scars as well, not to mention her tattoo, that he surely would have seen if they had really been together. She assured Mhaegen after the fact that they had not. She also informed her friend that Johnny had said he wished he'd had the pretty medic there to treat him after the amputation. It still gave him pains._

Ah well, that ship had sailed. What _had_ come from the incident with Johnny Beskar at the brothel that night were the differing reactions of the quartermaster and the bosun's mate. Both men watched Sanya Harkon ascend the stairs with equal trepidation. One of them expressed his jealousy with blind rage, the other confused concern.

Jak Frasier paced. "If she was pregnant you know what that would mean?"

"No?" Mhaegen wasn't sure exactly what it would mean to him in particular.

"Her older brother has a daughter and no sons. Her sister is… not yet married." His brow creased in consternation and he looked to the medic as if expecting the pieces to fall into place without his having to explain. He sighed. "If she had a son he could be contested as an heir to House Harkon!"

Mhaegen knew nothing about the laws of noble succession. "A bastard heir?"

Jak rolled his eyes and lowered his voice. "My name's… not really Frasier. It's Blackwell." She gave a grunt of mock surprize and he hurried on. "My brother's son was conceived out of wedlock and has still been confirmed as the heir of our house. I-if a gentleman of noble birth was to come alongside her and claim the child as his own…"

"You would do that for her? I thought the two of you didn't even like each other."

"Well, I never said that." Jak, or Jamos rather, shook his head. "I do respect her for taking control of her own life and getting away from the lords and their games."

"And yet you would return to all that if it meant guarding her reputation?" Mhaegen inquired. _This is just the sort of man I need to find_ , she thought to herself, _one who would overlook my past and respect me that much_.

"But as you say, there is no child. So that's beside the point." He gave a quick nod. "I assume that's what you were in there…" he waved his hand toward the door of the captain's cabin, "examining?"

"Well, yes and no."

"Aye?" Jamos's eyebrows rose a fraction.

Part of her just wanted to be totally honest with him. To tell him the whole story and not just part of it but she held back. "I… brought up to her what we spoke about before."

They had spoken about plenty in their previous conversation after that night at the brothel when he'd seen Quartermaster Hardicort speaking to his fellow crew member so harshly.

 _Mhaegen had had a smile on her face when she saw who the captain had chosen to spend the evening with. She would have liked to say hello to the sailor who had held Sanya's hands while she saw to the blaster wound as well, if she hadn't been sure it would give her own secret away._

 _But someone else was not so pleased with the turn of events. Leon Hardicort had seemed so pleased with himself since the night of the captain's birthday celebration, staying closer to her, doing things for her, sneering at anyone who came to close to her._

 _"What are you smiling at?" Hardicort growled._

 _"Nothing." Mhaegen hoped that would be the end to it._

 _"You think she's better off with him."_

 _"Sh-she looked happy enough."_

 _"Happier than she is with me you mean?" He crossed his arms over his chest and impeded the medic's progress._

 _She threw caution to the wind. Someone had to tell him. "You're obsessed with her. I know about the red-heads, how you call them by her name, the one you cut pretending to be sparing with the captain."_

 _"How do you…" He backed her up against a wall and she knew she had gone too far. Maybe it was the proximity that made him finally realize her true nature or maybe the mention of the red-headed whore finally made it click where he had seen her face before. "Marlon, eh? You were the healer in Madam Korina's place!"_

 _"So what if I was." Mhaegen tried to bluster but her voice rose in pitch. "I saved the captain's life and I've done nothing but try to help her since."_

 _"Trying to help her by warning her away from me?" He shoved her harder against the wall, pressing the iron breastplate she always wore so tightly against her chest that she could hardly breathe._

 _"Please, I…"_

 _"Do you know what this crew would do to you if they found out their medic was a whore?" he whispered low and dangerous._

 _She couldn't answer._

 _"I think you're going to donate a portion of your share of the prizes to me from now on for helping to keep your little secret?"_

 _She nodded as best she could._

 _"You can always go back to your old profession if you're short on credits, Aye?" He gave a wicked laugh and then released her suddenly enough that she almost fell._

 _It had been Jak who hurried over to see if she was hurt. "Marlon, m'lad. Are you quite alright?"_

 _"Aye," she caught her breath and dropped back in to her deeper tone of voice. "Aye, I'm fine."_

 _"You know you're not the only poor sailor our fine Quartermaster has it in for?" He gave her a humorless half grin._

 _"Is that so?"_

 _"I thought perhaps at first it was just because I was the lowest in the food chain so to speak, that I was getting special treatment." He puffed up sarcastically. "I've heard a few of the others grumbling on payday however, and I have a feeling it's not the captain who's shorting them on their due share. She's far too bent on equality to let something like that go on, unless of course, she doesn't know."_

 _"Someone should tell her," Mhaegen voiced the idea she knew he was getting at._

 _"Aye." He nodded with a more encouraging smile. "And it should be someone she trusts."_

 _"I…" She shook her head. "I've tried before to warn her to be careful of him and if he found out… If he even knew we were having this conversation…" She started to walk away from him but he caught up to her._

 _"Marlon," he put away the joking manor and spoke with all seriousness. "I know you… care for the captain. You know this is really in her best interest. If his theft, blackmail, is discovered, she'll go down with him as well." He sighed. "She won't listen to me. I can't even get close to her, but you can."_

"What did she say?" He asked her now, expectantly.

"She said she would look into it. We'll just have to wait and see."

…

She had thought he was her biggest ally. Mister Hardicort was the first of her father's men to ever take her up in the rigging of a ship when she was six years old. He had always believed in her, sparred with her, protected her. She had thought he would always be on her side. That's why she had chosen him as her quartermaster when she took the _Bloody Galia_ and left Harkon Hall. Well he'd been voted into the position but they had been together all this time.

She had no idea that he'd been secretly planning for her possible failure and nearly caused it as a result. Of course she had noticed the discrepancy. She didn't need Jak Frasier to point it out to her. Her accounting was fine. She thought there must be some reason for it. But then Mhaegen said something as well…

She had gone to her cabin and had a bath. That always relaxed her and maybe, she thought, it would calm her enough to give her the focus to go over the books and figure it all out.

Dressed in just her shift she padded around the cabin in her bare feet and pounded out the numbers once, twice. Kriff it! It didn't add up. Her crew members weren't getting their correct percentages from the prizes they had taken in the last month and her ship's surgeon was getting next to nothing and her bosun's mate even less. She looked at the prize totals for the month before that and found the same.

Her crew were loyal to her and they worked hard. They deserved those credits. She knew who they would blame when all this came out. It was her ship, her responsibility to make sure things were run democratically. If the shortage could be pointed back to her, even if there was a shadow of a doubt that she was involved or that it had happened under her nose, they would vote in a new captain and have her off at the next deserted island, if they didn't just kill her for cheating them all this time.

Kriff it! Why did it have to be Frasier who caught it? At least he had come to her quietly and not allerted any of the other hands. He could have. He could have ruined her. And Mhaegen? But Sanya had a feeling she knew why this was happening to the former prostitute. Someone had found out her true identity.

There was only one man aboard who could have done this. She hated the thought of confronting him.

She opened the door just a crack and called out, "Tell Mister Hardicort I need to speak with him."

She was just pulling on her trousers when he arrived. That shouldn't have mattered. He knew all about her birthmark. She had… allowed him to see it over a year ago, after Beskar had suggested it.

"You wanted to… see me, Captain," the quartermaster announced himself as he entered and closed the door behind him.

"Aye." she turned to face him, cinching her waistband and tying the cords fast. "It's the accounting books for the last several prizes. You know my figures aren't as good as yours but there seems to be some mistake with the amounts paid out to the crew."

She wasn't paying attention to the hungry look he gave her. "How much off the mark are we talkin' here?" he asked.

She walked over to her desk pulling her long wet hair back and tying it in a ribbon. She read off to him the number she had come up with and then looked up to see him nod.

"That sounds about right."

"You knew about this?"

"I did." He stepped closer to point out something in the books, closer than he need have stood. "I did it for us."

"For us?" she had been worried of accusing him of making a mistake in the accounting or trying to line his own pockets but this was far worse.

"See, I know you're enjoying this life now but it's bound to wear off eventually, the violence, the danger. I know that some day my little Nya's gonna have her fill of it and want to settle down."

"Your little…?"

"Your family, they might not be in a hurry to welcome back a daughter who's… not so pure as she used to be. I don't mind, though. I've been by your side all this time, watched you grow up from that gangly thing, all elbows and angles, into a woman."

He was looking down the front of her shift and she put her hand over the neckline and stepped back.

"The crew, _Mister_ Hardicort, they have been loyal to me and expect me to give them their proper cut of everything we take in. And Mhaegen," she rushed to correct herself, "Marlon works as hard as anyone."

He didn't even flinch at her mistake. He knew. "Nya," he crooned in a low voice. "It's me, Leon. I think we've been together long enough to be beyond such formalities. And you're right, they're loyal to you, now. They love, you."

"Is that really what you think? If they found out about this, they'd string me up for kriffing them and vote in a new Captain! That's the way things are done, _Mister_ Hardicort!"

She had to take another step backward as he advanced. Her hand went to her waist where she usually kept her short sword and a knife or two, but she wasn't wearing her belt.

"I'd never let 'em hurt you, Nya." He said softly as he reached out to touch her cheek. "I've seen the way they look at you, 'specially that Frasier." He had backed her up to the bulkhead and his fingers traced down her neck to her chest with only the thin layer of cloth between his groping hand and her breast.

She felt behind her for something, anything and finally touched cold steel just as he bent to kiss her. She drew the knife out of its sheath and across his throat in one smooth motion.

Quartermaster Leon Hardicort grasped at the cut with both his hands and then fell at her feet as his life bled out of him.

She wanted to scream but she didn't dare. She couldn't let anyone know what had happened here. She had to be strong. Right now she was anything but strong. Tears sprang to her eyes and she turned and threw up into the wash basin. Her clothes were sticky with his blood and she peeled them off in horror.

She had killed men on the hunt for prizes and protecting the weak, but this man had been a friend, someone she thought she could trust.

There was still blood on her hands and even though her bath water had gone cold she stepped back into the tub and soaked and soaked until her trembling was a result of the chill rather than her fear.

She determined what must be done. She had to tell her crew the truth and pray to the salt gods that they would see she had no part in this. She had saved them from the man who meant to take their livelihood for his own gain. She would not tell them how he had touched her and meant for her to go away with him. She could never tell anyone that. It was too horrible.

Sanya stepped out of her now icy bath, dried off and put on fresh clothes. She strapped on her belt full of every weapon she carried with her into battle whenever they boarded an enemy vessel. She wondered how many enemies she was going out to face right now. But she would bluff them. They wouldn't know she was afraid.

She burst out of the door with her usual swagger and called out, "All hands on deck. I've got some disturbing news for the lot of you."

She laid out the accounting books on the deck and waited to speak until every one of her men (and one woman in disguise) had been roused and faced her. She explained the issue in no uncertain terms. Their Quartermaster had them all fooled. He'd been holding back profits that belonged to them all. He had challenged their captain on the notion and given her no choice but to take his life in exchange.

Someone ran into the cabin and saw the truth of it, the dead man on the floor. A couple of them dragged him out where everyone could see.

"I have done something I never thought I would be forced to do. I have killed a member of my own crew, but in my defense," she pointed at the books. "You can see for yourself in those volumes the truth of what he was about. Now I require your judgement, my friends. You must… proceed as you think best and I will await your decision." She tried to look them in the eye, as many as she could, to show them that she would respect whatever consensus they came to. Then she turned on her heel, walked back into her cabin, and shut the door.

Her stomach rebelled again but there wasn't much more to bring up. She could have drowned her fear in alcohol but those stores truly belonged to the crew as well and she didn't want to be accused of stealing anything else from them. In the end she curled up on her bunk and stared at the blood stain on the floor. She didn't think it was possible but after a long time she cried herself to sleep.

At some point in the long evening there was a knock at the cabin door and a soft voice, "Captain?"

It was Mhaegen come to check on her but she pretended she couldn't hear and rolled over in her berth.

She woke again when it was dark but there was no noise but the regular creaking of the ship and the slapping of the waves. She couldn't bring herself to eat any of the stores she kept on hand so after pacing a bit she laid down and went back, to an uneasy sleep.

Her dreams were full of her feet kicking free while her poor neck stretched. She wouldn't be heavy enough to snap it in one drop. She'd probably hang there a while gasping and choking until some merciful bloke added their weight to hers pulling on her legs or jumping on her shoulders.

Or maybe half the crew would decide to take what they were owed out of her first, before they marooned her on some desolate shore. Hanging would be better than that. Then maybe she'd be off quicker to the salt gods' halls, that is if she even deserved to go there after all the pirating she had done…

When morning came again there was another knock at her door. This time it was another spokesman for her men, they allowed her time to freshen herself up before she joined the full complement of the crew out on deck.

The boson stepped forward and spoke for them all, "Since there was a vacancy for Quartermaster, the crew had a vote."

"Quartermaster?" she asked amazed. "you weren't voting for a new captain?"

There were a few who expressed their deference from the crowd and the boson waited for them to quiet before he continued, "Of course not, you take care of us and you told us the truth. We'd like to thank you and present you with your new Quartermaster, Jak Frasier."

He had spoken up for her, told them his side of the story, how he had found the issue and brought it to her attention. She could have ignored it, let it go on, but she didn't. She made it right.

Sanya thanked the salt gods. The next place they stopped that had a salt formation she was going to fall down on her face before it and praise their sweet names for sparing her life, such that it was.


	16. Confusion

Jak Frasier, or whatever he chose to call himself, really did need to speak to the captain. It was his job, after all. Quartermaster was supposed to be spokesman for the crew.

Sanya had been avoiding him since his appointment, however. In fact, since that day, she had meticulously avoided being alone with any member of her crew. Any crew member that is except for Marlon the Medic. Not that the captain discussed the events that led up to the need for a new quartermaster even with her trusted ship's surgeon.

Mhaegen had guessed the reason for this and she didn't press the issue. If the captain wished to confide in her how Leon Hardicort had lost patience making due with his counterfeit lovers, and had died in the attempt for the real thing, she was welcome. Mhaegen, for one, was glad that he was out of the picture for good.

She was a little surprised when Sanya mentioned playing her deception at the next port of call. Mhaegen asked the captain if she was up for such a thing. It wasn't a place they had visited before and the salt gods only knew if the employees or the clientele would be willing to go along with her scheme.

Sanya waved away the worry. Her crew had back pay in their pockets from the credits that the former quartermaster had been hiding away and everyone was curious about this particular harbor. It was the land that had once belonged to the Shechel Clan, that the Blackwells had redistributed to some branch of the Flint family after they massacred the town's original occupants.

"It'll be fine," Sanya assured her medic, "as long as I can get into the brothel and get one of the girls to wait in a room for me, no one will ever be the wiser."

True to her word the captain was the first of their number down the gangplank and off into the town as soon as they weighed anchor. And right on her tail was Jak Frasier.

Mhaegen hurried after. For one she wanted to catch him to give Sanya a little head start, but there was another reason that medic was secretly hoping to have a word with the new quartermaster. After their short time sailing together and working together to help the captain overcome the Leon Hardicort problem, she was starting to see what a really great guy Jak was. In fact she was seriously considering revealing her true identity to him, and then… Well, she would leave that part up to the will of the salt gods.

For the moment, though, she had to make sure that he didn't discover Sanya's secret too soon. And she would have done, if the bosun had not come to her with blasted splinter in his hand that needed her expert medical attention before she could even leave the deck.

"I'd need a kriff too if I'd been through everything she's been through in the last couple weeks," Mhaegen overheard her fellow crew members discussing the captain as she hurried to finish her job.

"Thought surely she'd just get that from the new quartermaster."

…

Sanya, at that moment, was just finishing up her conversation with one of the girls in the brothel. The girl was pretty with dark hair and a pale complexion, wearing a low cut red dress. She smiled as she nodded and said, "Aye, captain," before walking up the stairs and disappearing into the furthest room along the balcony.

Jak watched her go before he approached the captain. "So are you planning on taking advantage of the amenities while we are here taking our leave?" He asked.

She startled at his presence but quickly recovered. "Aye, if the right bloke comes along."

"Is that what you were discussing with your lovely friend there?"

"Actually I was gonna see about getting her as a gift for my new quartermaster." Sanya smiled. "But she's otherwise engaged for the evening. Excuse me."

He attempted to follow her, "Captain, I thought we might finally have a chance to discuss…"

"Mr. Frasier," she countered. "We're off the account this evening. Go. Enjoy your leave." She nodded toward the entrance where several of their fellow crew members were just making their way in. Among them was Marlon the medic.

When Jak turned again to speak to the captain she had already made her way to a table of unfamiliar sailors. She threw her arm around the shoulder of one of them and laughed at whatever they were laughing at.

"Is it true," he heard her saying. "All the awful things they say the Blackwells did to this place?"

"You can't believe all the ghost stories." One of the sailors at the table passed her a mug and she took a great swig of the beverage.

"Aye." Another one agreed. "They didn't get all the Shechels."

The man who's shoulder she was resting on spoke up. "I'm part Shechel myself."

"Aye?" She looked around at all of them and then eyed the speaker lustily, "Which part?"

He stood. "Would you like me to show you?"

Her answer couldn't be heard over the tooka calls and whistles but she grabbed him by the kerchief he was wearing around his neck and began to lead him up the stairs towards the room where Jak knew the girl in red already waited.

He was still pondering this when Marlon came up to him and offered, "A group of us are sitting over here. You're welcome to join us." The medic coughed. "Unless you were going to look for other entertainment?"

"N-no," he answered distractedly and went to sit with his fellow Bloody Galians. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy their company. They had accepted him as one of their own. They had unanimously voted him into the position as quartermaster. He had developed friendships among them, especially Marlon, who's shared victomy by the bully Hardicort had forged a bond that would not soon be broken. Unless…

The medic drank and chatted as amiably as any of the other men but his dark eyes often wandered to the closed door behind which the captain and the sailor and the girl in the red dress had all disappeared.

Jak, too, frowned in that general direction. Not that Sanya Harkon had ever been the typical lady. She continued to astound him daily.

He remembered the little girl with her careful updo all askew, throwing knives against Bralykburns and Flints. He unconsciously touched the bit of facial hair that covered his scar and thought of the smirk on her face when he offered to show her the drexl eggs.

Marlon was saying something to him, bringing him out of the memory. "I'm sorry. What was that?" He brought his attention back around to the medic.

"I was just…" Marlon began and then stopped. The medic examined him, glanced up at the door off the balcony and back again. "You're in love with her."

"What?" Jak sputtered. "No. No, I'm not. How could I be? I hardly know her."

Marlon dropped his eyes and his voice but the room was loud and surely no one else could hear their whispered conversation. "I think you know her better than you let on."

Was Marlon jealous? It dawned on Jak then. "But you know her far better than I do. You've sailed with her much longer. She trusts you."

There was something like sheen of tears in the medic's dark eyes. "It doesn't matter. I'm just a nobody. What chance did I ever have with nobility?"

Jak was at a loss. "Sanya doesn't care about something like that."

Marlon got up from the table. "I'm sorry," he said in a rush. "I won't get in your way."

"Wait! Marlon!" Jak also stood and tried to wave the medic back but his attention was caught by a disturbance from the other side of the room.

There was a blue glow emitting from somewhere and a cheer from those surrounding it. One of the crews must have brought a new bit of tech up from Iziz. The holoprojector beamed out an advertisement for some sort of cleaning product but every man and woman in the place was instantly glued to the image. Most of them had never seen anything like it. Only the privileged few could afford a communication transmitter.

Jak of course had seen one. He'd made his betrothal agreement over such a thing. And like a recurring nightmare the next image to appear over the projector was a recording from that actual event. A voice called out from the unit's speaker, a plea for the missing second Blackwell son to be found and returned safe and sound to his family. There may have even been a reward offered for information about his whereabouts but no one heard it.

"Hey! That's our Jak!" One of the more inebriated members of his crew crowed.

All eyes turned towards him in in the great tumult he didn't know whether to confirm or deny the accusation.

Doors opened all along the balcony spewing their occupants to see what all the fuss was about. Sanya exited her room pulling on her long coat and she leaned over the balcony railing to get a better look at the image of her twin sister.

Of course someone noticed the resemblance. She'd never kept a secret of her identity other than those early days when she was trying to make good her escape. Only those who really knew her, however, might have noticed how truly it rattled her to see Talya's image projected there.

They were all talking about her, pointing, both at her and at poor Jak, but she hardly noticed as she drew one of her daggers and tossed it at the eye of the holoprojector, ending the transmission for good and ever.

There was silence. She straightened her clothing as she sauntered down the stairs and then someone yelled up to her, "Did you know it was him?"

She stopped on the staircase landing and observed them all imperiously just as she would from the quarterdeck of her ship. "Did I know he was the bastard who said anyone would be a fool to marry my sister? Aye, but I'd rather not be the captain known for offing two quartermasters in a standard month."

The mood of the place broke and returned to its regular noise and gaiety. Jak tried to catch her eye but the captain was making her way over to the owners of the holoprojector. Perhaps she was offering to pay them for the loss. It hadn't been their fault, what had been beamed out of the thing.

Jak couldn't go to her now, not here. His gaze went again to the door of the room Sanya had occupied and he saw the girl in the red dress patting the sailor on the shoulder as he pulled on his boots. The girl whispered something in his ear and he nodded fervently before making a beeline for the exit without speaking to anyone.

…

Sanya did pay for the holoprojector she had destroyed. She even offered to sail down to Iziz and fetch them another one. They assured her she had provided them with more entertainment then they ever could have pulled up on that thing.

And when she finished with that bit of business there was someone else waiting to talk to her. "Captain," the girl in the red dress must have come for her payment but she didn't simper and fawn like the other whores. She stood up straight at attention. "My name is Freya and I want to join your crew."

"You want to…" Sanya repeated incredulously.

"My father was a sea captain," Freya explained. "My mother died and he took me aboard his ship but his crew were superstitious and wouldn't have a girl aboard, so he dressed me as a boy. I learned everything from him. I know all about ships and sailing." She sighed. "But he went overboard in a storm. When the crew found out I was a girl, they landed me here."

"You want to be a sailor?" the captain asked.

"It's all I know." Freya rolled her eyes. "Well other than…"

"You've never tried to dress as a man again and join another crew?"

"I don't want to hide who I am. You don't."

Sanya smiled. "No, I don't." She rattled off a few questions about sail rigging and what to do in the event of a high wind or a lull or when chasing down another craft. She was more than satisfied with the answers she received. "I would be proud to have you as a member of my crew, Miss Freya." She offered her hand for the other young woman to shake.

"Freddie," the new able seawoman corrected, shaking the captain's hand with a firm grip. "It's what my Da used to call me."

"Very well. Pack your things and report on board, Freddie. We'll have to work something out about the sleeping arrangements. I won't have my other sailors distracted…"

"They won't be. I promise. I'll do my duty. I'm done with all that."

…

Later when Sanya introduced her men to the newest member of the crew, it was to surprisingly little commotion. They accepted another female aboard as a matter of course. Freddie had changed into pants and a shirt more like what the other men wore and had her hair tied back in a ribbon with a hat pulled down to shade her pretty face from the sun.

They agreed that she would sling her hammock in the medic's cabin. Marlon had seen everything the captain had to offer, after all, and didn't seem to be distracted from his other patients.

Sanya wondered if this might encourage her ship's surgeon to also reveal the secret she'd been keeping but Mhaegen was even more reserved after the events of the Shechel brothel. She wouldn't tell the captain why.

And then there was Quartermaster Jak Frasier, spokesman for the crew.

"Be sure to remind them that I'll have no on-board romantic relationships," The captain told him when she daned to speak to him at all. "The men and women on my ship will behave professionally towards each other."

"Aye, Captain."


	17. Harkon Hell

Papa had been in a black mood ever since the day she was supposed to wed Jamos Blackwell. Talya remembered how he was when they waited at the docks for the ship to arrive, his face light and awash in joy and what looked like relief. It stayed that way until they got the comm saying Jamos wasn't coming to pick her up, there would be no wedding today, and Papa's smile turned to a poisonous scowl.

He barely left his office nowadays and when he did he snapped at everyone, especially Talya. For the first time in her life Talya cut her father a wide berth.

So she hadn't been trying to eavesdrop. But she'd noticed the blue light of the holoprojector shining from underneath Papa's office door and curiosity got the better of her. She tiptoed up to the door and pressed her eye to the keyhole like she did as a snooping child.

Through the keyhole she saw Papa standing before a hologram of Lord Blackwell, his hands held behind his back to hide the fact they were shaking. What did he have to be nervous about? It wasn't House Harkon's fault the wedding had fallen through.

"Does the connection look like it'll hold on your end?" Papa asked by way of greeting.

 _"You have more to worry about than the connection, Harkon."_ Blackwell glowered at him.

"I can pay you back."

 _"Ha! You might have been able to pay it back when you had two daughters to marry off. Now you don't have any."_

Pay back? He must have been referring to the ship Sanya stole, the one intended for Jamos. When Sanya took the craft she hadn't known that she was also stealing the generous down payment the Blackwells had already made. And why should she? Sanya may have designed and built the ship from stem to stern but she'd been left squarely out of the financials. That was more Talya's domain. Papa never spoke of it but she knew that after the blood moon the northern families weren't keen on buying new ships for the end of the world. With business already down, losing the Blackwells' down payment and having to start a new ship out of his own pocket was a devastating blow.

Papa bristled. "I still have a granddaughter!"

Blackwell scoffed. _"The Flints have twenty. And all of them come with better dowries than you could ever afford."_

"Talya and Jamos can still be married," Papa pleaded. "He may have only gotten nervous and run off for a while. Once he comes back…"

 _"The reason he ran off was because he was didn't want to marry your daughter at all. He's not coming back for her anytime soon, thank the salt gods if she turns out anything like her wild twin. The deal's off, Harkon. Permanently_."

"Then what am I supposed to —?"

 _"Remember the agreement I drew up the last time we had to extend this loan, when your brat stole my son's ship?"_ Blackwell quipped. _"I hold a lien on all of your property. The Hall should cover your debt nicely."_

"What?! No! I'll figure something out. You can't take my home!"

 _"You had a chance before this wedding fell through. There's nothing for you to figure out."_

"Then I'll find Jamos for you. I'll bring him back so the wedding can go through."

 _"Like you've had such luck bringing back your own wayward daughter? You'll be looking until Nadd's ghost rises again. Feel free to try though, that way the Hall will be empty when I come to change the locks."_

Papa slumped over looking more defeated than Talya had ever seen him. When he spoke he sounded forty years older. "Then please, give me some time to think of how to tell my family. I don't know how…"

She couldn't watch any longer. Talya ran from the door wiping tears from her eyes. She knew business had been bad, but she had no idea it was this bad. Papa had never looked so broken.

Her parents may not have bothered giving her lessons in politics, but Talya knew that if the Blackwells took Harkon Hall away from them, there was no going back. No strategic marriage or stroke of financial luck would make her family anything other than the laughingstock of the north. It couldn't happen.

…

After taking a few minutes to gather her courage Talya swung back into her father's office with the speech she'd come up with "Father I know what's going on and I want to help. I'll do whatever we need to…"

She trailed off when she saw Dalla at the table, having a conversation of her own.

Miara Blackwell, future Lady of the North, raised an eyebrow. _"Well, she must be smarter than I thought."_

"She always had the head, I just didn't think she'd use it," Dalla said to Miara before she gave her full attention to Talya. "So you found out what's going on?"

Talya nodded, dumbstruck by the scene before her. "You two know each other?"

"No, we don't." Dalla shrugged. "Miara and I have been spying on our respective fathers-in-law since we moved in. We didn't know of each other's actions until we tried to redial their comms at the same time."

 _"But now that we do, it's wonderful to have an ally."_ Miara said. _"Talya, I'm assuming you heard of the Blackwells' plan to seize the Hall?"_

"I was listening at the door. They can't do it!"

 _"Normally I'd say you have no chance and encourage you to grab as many credits as you can, but luckily for you my father-in-law is a short-sighted man. If you present him with a quick, easy repayment option he might forget about how lucrative the Hall might be in the long run."_

"All I need to do is give him credits?" That sounded too easy to her.

"A _lot_ of credits," Dalla clarified. "Your father owes Lord Blackwell millions. Even a partial repayment would be much more than you can get from selling your jewelry. All of it's fake, anyway."

"Well we could get Herron involved. If there are two of us…"

Dalla cut her off. "Herron doesn't know anything about the debts. And even if he did he'd be useless. I've made an exit plan for him, Betha, and myself so we have something when Lord Blackwell decides to collect. I'm not going to risk my daughter for the rest of you. I'm sorry Talya, but you're on your own."

 _"Financially, at least."_ Miara cut back in with a soft, sisterly tone. _"Dalla and I are more than happy to teach you everything you need to know about getting things to go your way."_

Talya blushed. "I know the way the two of you… get things done." She wasn't criticizing them for it, only stating the facts. "But I don't have a husband."

 _"You're well shot of my brother-in-law. Let me tell you. That boy was a sneak and a thief and_ …" Miara began but Talya cut her off.

"I'm sure he and I would have been completely incompatible." She still believed that the second Blackwell son would have been better suited to her sister but that ship had sailed, literally. The idea came into her head that very moment. "However, he wasn't the only son of a noble house who was competing for Sanya's and my hand."

"The Bralykburn heir!" Dalla caught on quickly.

Talya nodded. "He was said to prefer me to Sanya anyway…"

" _That's not a half bad idea!_ " Miara's face lit up on her side of the comm connection. " _At least you'd have the option of running to the Keep when your own home is repossessed_."

Worry still pained Talya's expression. She said softly, "I was thinking more if the Bralykburns were still willing to pay the brideprice, maybe Papa would have enough to pay back Lord Blackwell. Maybe we could keep our home."

Dalla laid a somewhat compassionate hand on her shoulder, or maybe it was just a gesture of pity. "It's worth a try."


	18. A Voyage to the Sunnier Climes

i hope this was worth the wait. and i hope to get the next chapter out a bit more quickly. For now a heading change for the _Bloody Galia_ and her crew.

* * *

The _Bloody Galia_ 's new female crew member was instructed to sling up her hammock in the medical bay. It was assumed that since their on board medic had seen everything the Captain had to offer and could still attend to duties that this would be the best place for Freya (or Freddie as she had asked them to call her) to sleep. The arrangement seemed to be working out fine and if Mhaegen had decided to reveal her true nature to her new cabin mate then it seemed Freddie was amenable to keeping the secret. Not even the captain had been informed if the two former whores were being completely honest with each other.

Mhaegen hadn't been speaking to Sanya about much of anything lately. She suggested that the captain have a little parley with her quartermaster but other than that she'd been strangely silent with the both of them.

Jak Frasier aka Jamos Blackwell, what was the captain to do with him? They all knew his true identity now and that he had spurned her twin sister. Sanya couldn't just let that go. But she also couldn't forget what her first impression of him had been on that dock at Flint Locke.

She had thought him attractive, desirable even. There was a time when she thought Mhaegen might have shared her opinion of the young noble. The captain might have even given her blessing to the medic and the quartermaster, but if Mhaegen didn't want to reveal her true gender then Sanya couldn't exactly bring it up.

She could take the doctor's advice however. Sanya would have a chat with her quartermaster. That was his job after all, to relay her orders to the crew. She had a new heading in mind and she had a question for the second son of Blackwell.

…

He knocked on the cabin door and entered at her bidding. "You wanted to speak with me, Captain?"

"Aye," she answered a little distractedly and then stated more sharply. "You can leave the door open."

"Aye." He had been about to close the door so they could speak privately but left it ajar per the order. It was the first time he had been allowed to enter the Captain's inner sanctum and he took the chance to look around at the cabin that would have been his.

The sparse decoration didn't seem to be overly feminine. It appeared to be as comfortable as he might have expected for someone who had grown up in a noble house but not excessively plush. She had, after all, designed it to her own specifications. He wondered if she was already planning, while she was helping her father to construct the commissioned vessel, to deny the pleasure of sleeping in that bed to its rightful recipient.

The captain cleared her throat. Had he been caught staring at her bed? It wasn't like he'd been thinking about sharing it with her. Although he'd never been quite able to deny what Marlon had insinuated about him having feelings for the captain, even to himself.

Their eyes met and he could have almost sworn that the color rose slightly in her cheeks before she cleared her throat again and gestured towards the chart on the desk between them. "This is what I wanted you to look at."

He took a step closer and her hand went to hover over her favorite dagger in her belt.

As far as Jamos knew she hadn't been alone with a male member of the crew in her private domain since that incident with her first quartermaster. Well, other than Marlon the medic. And even Marlon had been keeping his distance since Jamos's cover had been blown by that holonews story.

Jamos didn't intend to come between them if there was something there before he arrived on the scene. Then there was also the matter of the girl whom the captain had sent up to the room ahead of her at the brothel. Freya, or Freddie rather, was a member of the crew now. He didn't know what to make of that either. The captain said there would be no romantic relationships onboard the _Bloody Galia_ but she seemed so free with her affections whenever they were in port.

Jamos remembered the way the old Quartermaster had looked at her before he met his sorry end. He couldn't help but think that there was more to all that than just the doctored account books.

He knew very well what she was capable of and he ran a thumb along the sideburn that covered his scar. He didn't want to meet the same fate as his predecessor so he held up his hands in a gesture of bearing no weapons as he approached the desk and the chart laid out upon it.

She seemed to relax a bit. "Do you know what this is, Mr. Frasier?"

He suppressed a smile at the use of his chosen moniker rather than his noble given name as he studied the map. It was old but he recognized a bit of the shore line. "This isn't the northern sea. This is the river south to Iziz."

"Aye!"

He didn't have to look up to hear the smile in her voice but he couldn't resist. She had the same light in her eyes that she'd had when she challenged all those boys to a knife throwing contest at the Hold when she was eleven years old, and at the idea of seeing Miara's drexl eggs.

"How far did your brother get?" she asked him, maybe actually admitting his family connections for once.

"Uh…" He looked again at the map and traced the river's course with his finger from its mouth at the northern sea down a couple of leagues. "I think it was around here where he saw the smoke rising and dropped anchor. He lead a shore party and found Miara. She couldn't or wouldn't tell him much about what happened…" he shrugged. "And I think they just turned back north."

"I think we can do better than that."

"Go further south than any northerner in…"

"Well since Dina's failed attempt anyway," she answered smugly, crossing her arms over her chest. Then she deflated a bit at his silence. "You think it's possible?"

"I…" What did he think? He thought she was beautiful and passionate and courageous but he forced himself to keep to the matter at hand. "I think it's brilliant… Captain. When would you like us to change our heading?"

She beamed like a thousand suns and practically danced around her desk. "Right away! We're provisioned for a few weeks. I don't know what the landing opportunities will be once we get underway, but then nobody does, Aye? It'll be a voyage of discovery!"

"Aye, Captain!" He would have liked to take her in his arms and swing her around but he didn't dare. "I'll relay the orders to the crew."

"That is your job." She grinned at him, really at him! "And, thank you, Mr. Frasier."

"Aye, Captain." He gave her a low, formal bow.

…

The air grew hot and steamy as they traveled down the river and the jungle began to encroach on both shores. Most of the crew had stripped down to just their trousers to try to cope with the heat with the notable exceptions of the captain and Freddie and Mhaegen who still wore the iron breastplate that she had donned to hide her identity since she had left the whorehouse for good and ever.

Once they had gotten beyond the spot where they believed Trevon Blackwell had made his landfall they had a grand celebration. There was music and dancing and a rather large amount of rum consumed. And even though the captain reasserted her position that there were to be no romantic relationships between members of the crew, and warned all of her men that crewperson Freddie was off limits to grand laughter of those who had come to see both of the known females as beloved sisters, Mhaegen couldn't help but notice the glances that passed between the captain and the quartermaster when they each thought the other wasn't looking.

She wondered how long it would take them to realize that they were obviously meant for each other. Jamos Blackwell was never meant for her. Mhaegen sipped her rum more slowly and when asked why she wasn't enjoying the party gave her gruff, false laugh, "Somebody's got to be sober enough to fix up you _di'kuts_ when you injure yourselves with your stupidity."

It turned out to be a good thing that someone wasn't sleeping off a hangover early the next morning when Mhaegen heard a cry ahead of their prow through the thick foliage. It didn't sound like the calls of the creatures whose eyes they had seen glowing in the shadows of the trees. It sounded human. And then she heard something that sounded like distant blaster fire.

"Did you hear that?" she called to the man who was on duty at the wheel.

"Hear what?" He yawned and rubbed an ear sleepily. He was keeping them on course in the deep center of the river but obviously not paying attention to much else.

Mhaegen ran down to the med bay and woke her cabinmate. "Freddie, come up on deck! I need you to check something out."

The girl stirred in her hammock. "Alright, Marl. Give me a mo."

Once back out on deck Mhaegen listened and thought at first that maybe she had imagined it. But then just as Freddie came up to join her she heard it again. Way off in the distance, but in the direction they were heading, there were human voices shouting. And yes, there it was again blaster fire, she was sure of it.

The two former whores shared a look and even the man on the wheel perked up this time. Freddie scurried up the rigging like an owl monkey to see what she could see over the tops of the trees and then a creature swooped over the river towards the battle with a rider on its back.

The man looked just as surprised to see a ship on the river as they were to see him. If he was any less of a beastrider he might have lost his seat with the shock. Rather, he circled and smiled in exhilaration. He made eye contact with Mhaegen for a moment and gave her a nod before he zoomed off in the direction of the sounds that were louder now as they continued to sail towards the center of the action.

His skin had been darker than her own, his hair in long dreadlocks. He surely hadn't recognized her as a woman but perhaps her breastplate had signaled her as a fellow warrior. There was something about him but even as more of her crew members started to spill onto the deck all she could do was stare in the direction he had flown away.

"Was that a drexl?" someone yelled.

"Nah. They're extinct, aren't they?"

"You'd better hope so! That's a wooden deck your standing on. Don't want to feel the fiery breath of one of those today!"

"Sounds like a battle!"

The crew of the _Bloody Galia_ were beginning to strap on weapons as if this was their fight. And then the captain appeared already fully kitted out. "Sounds like there's some fun to be had!" Sanya called out over the noise.

"Any idea who's side we'll be fighting on?" her quartermaster asked with a grin beside her. He had come from his own cabin, Mhaegen noticed, so they had at least still slept in separate apartments.

"None in the slightest." The captain laughed.

From up in the main top Freddie shouted down. "I think it's the beastriders vs. troops from the city!"

"Shall we flip a coin?" Jamos suggested with a shrug.

Mhaegen spoke up then, though she wasn't entirely sure why, "The beastriders are like us! They just want to be left alone in their jungles!" Her heart hammered against her breastplate. Somewhere deep inside her she really just wanted a chance to meet that man who she'd seen on the back of that creature. "And it was a ruping not a drexl! They don't breathe fire."

"Good to know!" Jamos pounded her on the back companionably.

"Alright then!" the captain called out to her crew. "We fight for the beastriders! They should be easy enough to tell apart from the city dwellers!"

There was a chorus of, "Aye!"s as the _Bloody Galians_ raced to their positions as if this was any action they might face on the high seas.


	19. Something

The battle was over almost before it started, especially when the city dwellers got a load of the murderous band of pirates who unexpectedly joined on the side of the beastriders. Of course there were still casualties on both sides and injuries that needed to be tended. Mhaegen stepped right in to see where she could be of use.

Soon she found herself working alongside the beastrider's own healer who happened to be none other than the man who had nodded to her from the back of the ruping. When he wasn't focused on the patient before him, she caught him staring at her just as intently.

"What?" she asked self consciously.

"They said your name was Marlon?" he asked by way of a greeting.

She finished tying off a bandage and then patted the fighter on the shoulder with an encouraging smile and stood. "That's right." She began to walk among the injured looking to see if anyone else still needed her help.

The other healer followed and shook his head. "I could have sworn when I flew over…"

Seeing no where else to be of use she turned to address him directly. "Could have sworn?" she led, wondering, maybe hoping that he had noticed something about her.

"Nevermind." He smiled. He was tall, dark and handsome and he held out his hand to shake hers as if she might be a peer or an equal. "I'm Hiram Gerrera."

She shook, a little disappointed that he hadn't directly called her out in her deception. "It's very nice to meet you."

"You know you didn't have to do that back there, treating our wounded."

"It needed to be done and I had the skill." She answered bowing her head humbly.

"Your people didn't have to fight alongside us either."

She laughed. "You'd be hard pressed to keep our captain out of a fight. I'm just glad it was your side she chose to fight for."

"So am I. I don't think I'd like to be her enemy."

They faded into silence, listening to the chatter of the other sailors and beastriders getting to know one another and the sound of a voice singing. Another man with lighter skin and hair than Hiram's but still deeply tan from exposure to the sun was singing some sort of chant over the body of one of his deceased clan members.

"What's it all about?" Mhaegen asked with a soft reverence.

"They came for _him_." Her new friend said with a sigh. "He has a claim to the throne."

"You mean he's…"

"Drokko Kira." Hiram nodded. "His…" he thought a moment, "great-grandfather came to the jungle to get away from the responsibility and left a warden to guard the throne in his place. Drokko's grandfather and father chose to stay out here as well."

Of course she knew the story. Every northerner had heard the story of Dina Blackwell's fateful trip down the river. Mhaegen had never expected to meet the characters on the other side of the tale. "And now?"

"The old warden died recently, so there's question as to who should rule in his place. He has a son, a spoiled child, who's grown up at the palace and believes that the throne is his by right. But there are others who believe that the Kira heir should go back to the city and take it for himself."

"So they came to bring him back to Iziz to take his place as king?" She asked.

"Or to make sure that he wasn't a threat to their own line of succession."

Mhaegen gave a little shiver in the jungle heat. She had thought that northern politics were vicious. "Do you believe he should be king? Is that why you fight for him?"

"I believe in keeping him alive long enough for him to make that decision on his own. He's my cousin," Hiram added. "Well not directly. The Gerrera family were cousins to House Kira ages ago before they married into the royal family."

"I'm sure he appreciates your loyalty." She watched as the Kira heir covered the body before him with a sheet and moved to the next victim of the violent action to sing the song again. Mhaegen pressed her own thumb to her lips and lifted her palm reverently to the salt gods.

"He never asked any of us to fight and die for him."

Mhaegen turned to see some of her own crew preparing for a victory celebration. "I doubt your cousin will feel like a party."

"I don't know." Hiram tried to smile. "Maybe he'll be thankful that your crew shortened the battle and prevented further loss of life."

…

Drokko hadn't asked for this celebration. Of course he also hadn't asked to be born a Kira, hadn't asked for the current Warden to drop dead and leave him with the choice whether to take up this responsibility or not. Still the party swirled around him in his makeshift jungle court that had been turned into a sort of pub and brothel by his recent influx of hangers-on.

A girl sat in his lap, intending to reward him for whatever it was they thought he had done to deserve all this. He pushed her away. He would take the drink they offered him however. He would drink to those who had lost their lives and maybe ease some of the stress that came along with being proclaimed the leader of this rabble.

Sanya watched him, standing a bit apart, arms crossed over her chest with a drink of her own in her hand. She thought she understood a bit of what he might be feeling, the pressure of expectations on a noble born child.

He wasn't at all what she had thought the legendary Kira heir would be like. Though she hadn't really put much thought into it since her days of telling the ghost stories about his long dead ancestors. His features were nexu like with small bright eyes and he was tanned and muscled not at all like the lanky dark haired sailor boy who stood beside her like a sworn protector.

Maybe Drokko felt her staring at him. His eyes met hers for a moment and then his gaze passed over her to Jamos. "So you're a Blackwell." His voice was slightly nasal but with a deep growl of an undertone.

"Ah… Aye," Jamos nodded as if surprised by the direct address. "I am the second son of that house. My brother will inherit the title."

Drokko pushed out the chair next to him and gestured for the other young noble to come and sit. "We could have been cousins."

Jamos glanced quickly in his captain's direction and then went to the table taking the mug of ale that was offered to him and the chair. "I suppose we would at that."

Sanya a bit miffed at being looked over stepped forward but didn't dane to sit at their table without invitation.

"I suppose…" Drokko used the same turn of phrase with a hint of a smile and barely a glance in her direction, "that I have you all to thank for coming to our aid in the skirmish earlier."

She scoffed and Jamos spoke up in her defense, "Well really it was our captain who suggested that we step in on the side of your honorable warriors."

"Your… captain, right."

Jamos turned in his chair and looked back and forth between them as if he were watching a racquetball match. "Aye, that's right. Lord Kira, may I introduce, Captain of the _Bloody Galia_ , Lady Sanya Harkon."

The beast lord scratched his chin and looked her over appraisingly. He smiled as if they might be playing a joke on him. A _girl captain?_ Or maybe it was the designation of 'lady' that he found humorous. He leaned toward Jamos's chair but didn't speak so low that she couldn't hear. "She's good with all those blades? I think if she crawled in my hammock and slit my throat I'd die a happy man."

She nearly choked with indignation and looked to her quartermaster to see how he would answer.

"Well, now, Lord Kira, the captain… I mean to say, she…" He stammered.

Drokko took a gulp of his ale and laughed. "Not going to lay claim to her?" He pounded Jamos on the back and looked into his cup when he should have been keeping an eye on who he was insulting. "You'll never sail beneath the Black again. You'll sit in this place and rot with the rest of the whores."

She was on him in a moment with her favorite dagger pressed to his throat. "I have never, nor will I ever, sail beneath any man!"

"Ah!" Drokko gave Jamos a wink. "Likes it on top, does she? Lucky ma-"

Sanya dug the dagger a little closer.

"Now Captain," Jamos attempted to talk her down while a crowd gathered around the table and started looking around at who they might attack first if it turned into an all out brawl. "I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it and after all he's going to be the king."

"He's not my kriffing king!" she spat.

"Aye well, if you kill him now you'll be doing a favor for those nice gentlemen we fought against today."

She growled, "Maybe we picked the wrong side." She looked around at the celebration that had come to a dead halt but she didn't lower her own blade.

Kira's supporters seemed to be watching to see if they might have chosen poorly in their leader as well, waiting to see if this slip of a girl might be the end of him.

She had thought that maybe at least his healer, the one she'd seen speaking with her own medic, might come to Drokko's defense but Mhaegen had laid a hand on his arm to hold him back.

"We'll put him in the brig." she finally decided. She didn't want royal blood on her hands as much as she would have liked to end him for the offense. "We'll take him back north with us."

That got a cheer from her own crew and a couple of her men stepped forward to do her bidding. At this a couple of his men advanced to stop them but Kira raised a hand and went willingly with his captors.

Moving away from Mhaegen the one called Gerrera asked, "Drokko, do you want me to…"

But Kira cut him off with a smile, "I've always wanted to see the north. And maybe when I get back all this trouble will have blown over."

"What makes you think you are ever coming back here?" Sanya fumed.

He nodded at her with at least mocking humility. "My apologies, Captain."

…

Sanya didn't trust herself to stay on board her own ship that night, in case she suddenly got the urge to go down to the brig and stab their prisoner. Instead she took a room in the inn over the pub alone.

The party was still going on downstairs. She wasn't sure what they were celebrating since she had locked their leader in irons.

She did hear the knock on the door but she didn't answer. So Jamos poked his head into the room cautiously, "Captain, it's me, Frasier."

"We both know you're not a kriffing Frasier." Was her answer but she didn't tell him not to come in.

He took his chances and entered. He started to say something, stopped and then started again. "Are you still angry with me for insulting you when we first met?"

She shrugged. "Didn't care if you insulted me. It was my sister you were supposed to be betrothed to. Nobody better the Dxun mess with my sister!"

"Oh." He frowned and ran a thumb along the ostentatious strip of sideburn that ran across his cheek.

"Oh?"

"In my defense I was only fourteen at the time that I said it, I hadn't yet met either you or your sister, and your brother had just insulted my family."

She grunted. He wasn't sure if it was in agreement or not.

He pressed on. "I stand by what I said though."

"You kriffing what?" She turned towards him. He had her full attention now.

"It's why I left the Hold." he explained. "I would have had to have been a fool to marry Talya when I could be out here sailing with you."

She looked away again, embarrassed.

He chuckled but she could tell it wasn't _at_ her. "I'd have to be a kriffing fool to believe that I could ever bring her twin to the salt formation either."

"Dxun, Aye." she muttered with a slight smile.

"Nya." he said her name tenderly. "I know you can have what you want when you want it…"

"You know nothing of the kriffing sort."

He frowned, confused. "But at the brothel…"

"Nice to know the deception worked on you too." She looked him in the eye for a moment and then and there made the decision to be honest. "I've never paid any man for a kriff. It was just to keep their mouths shut."

"You mean you've never…" He raised an eyebrow. "No man or woman either?"

"Salt gods, Freya? No, she was just for the sailor so I didn't have to pretend to be with him. You thought I… with both of them?"

He gave her a guilty tilt of his head that wasn't quite a nod.

"Well, thanks for not sayin' anything, to the others, about her. Osik…" She shuddered, wondering what else her crew said about her behind her back.

"So you've, not ever…?"

"I thought up the deception to protect myself. If people thought I had nothing to lose they wouldn't be so keen to take what I have. You must think I'm a child, aye?"

Jamos cleared his throat. "All I see before me is... the most powerful woman I've ever known."

She scoffed.

He crossed the room towards her and she stood from her seat to meet him. Neither of them could have said who initiated that first kiss.

"The question is," He asked her when they separated for a breath, with a smile and a flirty cock to his eyebrows. "Do you still want to be a virgin when you leave this room?"

"Jamos." She used his real name for the first time. "I…"

He cut her off before she could continue, "... because I don't."

She gaped at him. "You? A virgin?"

"Can you blame me for waiting?"

She just shook her head.


	20. Co-ed

Waking up naked in his arms was new and exciting but Sanya couldn't allow herself to get used to it.

"Jak," she whispered. She had discovered that she liked calling him Jak. The name was sharp and to the point like one of her daggers. He seemed to like it as well, and she liked it when he called her Nya.

But this could never happen again. It had to be the only time…

His hands roamed over her and he pulled her closer as if he never wanted this time to end. She didn't either.

"Jak, when we go back…"

He took a slight break from kissing and caressing her to speak. "You're going to bring up that 'no relationships on board' rule."

"Aye." She squirmed pleasurably in his embrace. "I'm the one who made that rule. I never wanted my ship to become a floating brothel or to make things awkward for myself or Freya or the men."

"It's a good rule, Nya." He smiled and kissed her nose. "No one's saying it's not."

She nodded. "So it would probably be better if we didn't arrive back there… together. Maybe I can go back first and then you can…"

"No." Jamos offered. "You take your time. I'll go back and get everything ready for our voyage north, so when you step on board all you have to do is give the order, Captain."

...

They indulged in each other for a while longer and when he finally made his exit from her room she listened for an exclamation from the dining room below at the realization that they had spent the night together. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard only silence. She could do like he said, relax, take her time, maybe have a bath, but she was anxious to return to her command.

And then the doubt began to seep in. Her position as a _female_ captain has always been tentative. What if the crew decided that they would rather have a male leader? A nobleman's son? Heir to the whole north after his brother?

Drokko Kira's words came back to her, _never sail under the black again… rot with the rest of the whores_ …

Is that what she was now?

Sanya climbed out of bed and began to dress. She felt the dull ache between her legs where Jamos Blackwell had taken her. She had given herself to him!

What if it had all been a lie to get her in bed, to distract her from his real plan, to take her captaincy and her ship? He had seemed so sincere.

Well, Captain Sanya Harkon, _The Knife_ , was not going down without a fight!

She finished dressing and armed herself as if she were going into battle and then she set off for the river to see if her ship was even still there.

None of her crew were down in the pub. Just a few of the beast riders were lounging around, probably wondering who they were going to follow now that Kira had been taken from them. Perhaps if she had to fight to take back the _Bloody Galia_ she could enlist some of them.

But when she got to the place where they had anchored the day before, the ship was right where she had left it. There was a considerable amount of activity going on on deck like there always was when her crew were preparing for a journey.

Then Markos Flint noticed her on shore and sent the rowboat to bring her on board. Well that was something. They at least still wanted her.

She hauled herself up the ladder and over the rail and stood with hands on her hips. A few of the men called a greeting or tipped their hats as they scurried to do their duties. That was encouraging. There was something about the way they smiled at her, though. And there was a commotion centered around the door to her cabin.

Jak was among them arms akimbo and stuttering, "I - I really don't know if this is a good idea!"

A female voice seemed to be explaining something to him and as Sanya approached she saw it was Freya leading the… whatever this was.

"Captain, you're back!" The former whore smiled and threw a salute which wasn't really necessary.

Sanya wasn't sure if it was meant to be mocking or respectful. "What's going on here?"

"As I was trying to explain to the Quartermaster…"

Jak shrugged innocently.

Freya continued. "After we could see that the two of you," She gestured toward the captain and the quartermaster. "Had figured out what the rest of us had seen for months."

"And what is that exactly?" Sanya snarled.

"That you're in love with each other." Freya smiled as if it were obvious and then hurried on. "The crew took a vote. We agreed that Marlon should have the med bay back to himself and that I would have more privacy in my own cabin."

"She means _my_ cabin." Jak frowned.

Sanya looked back and forth between them. "But then where will…"

"We've had Quartermaster Frasier's things moved here." Freya waved her hand at the door to the captain's quarters.

"But what about the rule?" Sanya fumed. "I explicitly forbade r-" she couldn't say the word romantic, "relationships onboard!"

"We all figured that didn't really apply to you, Captain." Freya said more gently. "Lots of captains take mistresses…"

Sanya had stopped listening. She shoved past them all into her cabin, her sanctuary, or it always had been.

"And is that what I'm to be now," Jak was still sputtering, "the captain's… mister?" He stormed into the cabin as well and slammed the door behind him.

Sanya jumped and only when he turned and looked at her did he realize what he had done.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea. I had no part in this," he implored.

She looked around the space. It was mostly as she had left it but for his sea chest that had been dragged in.

Was that really all he had to his name? He hadn't come on board with much. The other crew members had lent him necessaries when he joined up and then he must have gradually purchased what he needed when he received his pay. Still it wasn't the grand luggage of a noble's son. The quartermaster's cabin would have been a big step up from the hammock slung up in the hold with the rest of the men. And now this…

"Nya?"

"Don't call me that!" She spat reflexively.

"I'm sorry… Captain."

She gave a weak nod of acceptance of the apology.

"I know this is your… haven, your refuge. I would never dream of imposing, of taking advantage…"

"Of course." Her eyes were still on the trunk that contained all his worldly possessions. The spot where they had left it was the exact spot where her former quartermaster's body had lain, as the life bled out of him.

Jak took a step towards her and she whirled on him, knife drawn.

He jumped back, hands raised in supplication and then as if reading her mind he asked, "did he hurt you? Did Mister Hardicort try to force himself on you here in this cabin? Is that why…"

She dropped the knife and made a strangled sound in her throat.

"I saw the way he looked at you. I wanted to kill him myself." Jak set his jaw at the memory. "But you kissed him that night of your birthday in the pub."

"That was only to get a rise out of you," she admitted.

"You didn't come back here with him that night."

"No. No, he walked me back to the ship but then I asked Marlon to give me my tattoo." She touched the place on her shoulder where sailed the ink facsimile of the _Bloody Galia_. Jak had traced its shape with his fingers and his lips just last night…

"I think Mister Hardicort read more into that kiss than just trying to make me jealous."

She nodded. "He wanted me all along. He wanted to take those kriffing stolen credits and run away with me. He thought I would grow tired of piracy and want to settle down someplace like the lady I was born to be."

"With himself as the lord at your side."

"Aye." Sanya took a shaky breath. "He didn't understand. I would never give this up, being captain, being free."

"And you shouldn't have to." Jak had cut the distance between them. "You've worked hard for this, earned the respect of your crew. I would never ever take that from you."

They were close enough to touch but he let her make the first move. She reached up and ran her finger along the sideburn that she knew concealed the scar she had given him. "Is it true then, what Freya said, that they all knew that… you're in love with me?"

A smile turned up the corner of his mouth. "I think I always have been." He took her hand in his and kissed her palm.

"Well, then I suppose we'll have to find out what position this new course has lead us to." She turned her back to him, looking at her bed which now she supposed, with the simple vote of the crew, had become _their_ bed.

"Aye, Captain."

She undid her belt and let it fall to the floor, followed by her breeches, revealing the Blackhold Isle shaped birthmark on her shebs.

He sucked in a breath at the sight of her. "I have always enjoyed navigation and getting my hands on a good map."

She laughed. "And there was something Kira said, about being on top…"

He wasted no time in removing his own clothing and following her toward the bed. "Aye, Captain!"

As they fell into each other's arms for the second time in less than twelve standard hours she breathed his nickname, "Jak…"

"Aye Captain?"

She gazed at him. "When we're here, just the two of us, call me Nya…"


	21. Homeward Bound

"Now go, Quartermaster Frasier! That's an order!" Sanya grinned as she sent him down the gangplank to the shore. Actually she had been smiling so much lately that it made her face hurt. She really did love spending so much time with Jak but every waking (and sleeping) moment left her little time to herself or to consult privately with other members of her crew.

"Aye, aye, Captain." He gave her a deep bow with a flourish of his hat and then blew her a kiss. Sometimes she worried that the way they carried on would blow any sense of order on her ship to Dxun but the crew seemed honestly happy for her so she allowed her anxieties flow by the wayside and decided just to enjoy her present state of being.

She waited till he was out of sight down the crooked little path to the village where he and a few other of the men were bargaining for supplies that would feed them for the trip back up river. Then she hurried toward their cabin calling for Mhaegen on her way. She had been dying to discuss everything that had happened with another female and to make sure that her previous medical treatment was still in effect.

…

Sanya certainly wasn't expecting Jak to come back from his mission so soon, especially not at that exact moment when she had thrown back her head and was biting her lip so as not to cry out in reaction to what her medic was so intently working on between her bare knees.

Well, what other conclusion was he supposed to reach? He burst through the cabin door and stared at them for a moment before he babbled something unintelligible, turned to go, and slammed the door shut behind him.

"Would you like me to finish this later?" Mhaegen asked with a smirk.

Sanya sighed. "No. I'd rather be done with it."

A while later when the instruments had been put away and the medic returned to her med bay, the captain had to order the quartermaster to come into her presence. It sounded as if he was planning on slinging up a hammock once again with the rest of the crew down below. She'd have to set him straight there but for now she just crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to voice his grievance.

He paced the room angrily and then finally he spoke. "I thought since I'd moved into your cabin you wouldn't go looking elsewhere for…"

"Jak, Marlon is my physician, the only person I trust with my… health."

His head shot up and he stared at her. "Y-you don't mean that you're… that we're…"

"No!" she adamantly denied. "No, of course not. Marlon gave me a sort of medication ages ago to keep that from happening, just in case."

"Aye, just in case!" He threw up his hands dramatically and started pacing again.

"You know I didn't test its effectiveness until you and I…" she countered.

Jak scoffed and waved towards the closed door. "Not even with the practicing healer?"

"Jak," she tried again. "I wanted to make sure that I was still healthy because… well… generally a woman knows that she's with child when she doesn't have… and I haven't since I had the dose of that medication. Not that I ever wanted to but.. I don't know if I'll ever be able…"

He crossed the cabin to her in two strides. "I don't care about that. You know I don't need an heir. But if you're going to be running off with someone else everytime by back is turned!"

"I wasn't running off with anyone!" She knocked his hands away.

"I saw Marlon between your legs! And you looked…"

"Like I was in pain?" she asked.

"No," he frowned uncomfortably. "It was the way you sometimes look when…"

"Maybe I'd gone to my… happy place," she shrugged.

"Were you… in pain?" he asked, concerned now that she mentioned it.

"No I… well aye, a bit. Marlon isn't only my physician, but also the only tattoo artist I trust. What can I say? She's good with a needle."

She didn't catch the slip but he did.

"She?"

Sanya covered her mouth in horror. "Kriff! I didn't mean to say anything!"

"Well I suppose that explains a few things. Have you always known?"

She nodded. "She was like Freya, wanted to get away from that life but several of my crew members _knew_ her as a woman and she was afraid that they wouldn't want to be treated…"

"By a former whore," he finished the thought without any malice.

"I told her it didn't matter, that I would stand up for her and make the men see reason."

Jak ran his fingers through his hair making it stand on end. "I thought she was in love with you, and then when I saw…"

"I think it might have been you she had feelings for actually." The captain began to ramble. "But not now. That healer of Kira's was certainly interested in her. I think he might have suspected something. I don't know if she told him or…"

"I don't want to talk about them." He stopped her suddenly and then gave her a sheepish smile. "You have a new tattoo. Can I see it?"

Sanya rolled her eyes. "I asked her to put it in a place that only you would be able to see it. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Well it certainly is surprising!"

She winced slightly as she removed her breeches to show him the spot that was still surrounded by an angry red patch of skin. There on her inner thigh in a place that surely wouldn't be visible to anyone who wasn't privy to witness her without her pants and with her legs spread was the blue inked image of an anchor artfully entwined with the letters J. A. K.

He gently traced the shapes with his fingers. "I'm flattered. Though," he looked up into her eyes. "Do you really think of me as an anchor, holding you back?"

"No." she assured him. "You hold me fast. You're like a safe harbor in a storm, more than any…"

He silenced her with a kiss before she could go on and gave her shoulders a little shake as if you get the idea through to her. "I love you, Nya."

"And I love you."

…

Hiram Gerrera didn't want to aid the northerners. But when he saw where they were heading he couldn't stop himself from jumping on his dalgo and racing along the riverbank to stop them, shouting to the small figures on deck.

"Hey!" He shouted. "Stop! You can't go there!"

At first it looked like the crew of the _Bloody Galia_ was going to ignore him, but then Marlon the medic appeared at the rail. He wasn't wearing his usual breastplate and leaned over the railing, giving Hiram the great temptation to study the sailor's chest and confirm what he thought he'd noticed when he flew over the ship in the first place.

"Why not?" Marlon asked. "Something you want sailing away on this ship?"

It was starting to look more and more like it but… "Your heading isn't safe!"

"Safety?" Marlon rolled his eyes, not that Hiram could really see. "We're pirates. Safety isn't a big concern for us."

"It should be when you have my friend in your brig."

Marlon shrugged. "He's not a big concern either."

"He should be."

"Why? Because he's some high-flying Kira who rules the jungle? If he was really something special he would be ruling the planet instead of Dendup."

"He didn't want that. He gave up the throne so he could be with his people and the beasts."

"And how does that help anyone? Nevermind," Marlon changed the subject. "I don't suppose I care. He's just a prisoner in the brig. But don't worry, I'll make sure we throw him some ship's biscuit eventually."

"There won't be an eventually if you keep on your current heading."

Just then he heard someone else call out: "Ship up ahead! Looks abandoned."

"Then it's free pickings," The captain said from somewhere unseen. "Drop anchor once we get close enough."

"Marlon, don't go there! It's a trap!"

"Sorry, I can't hear you from all the way over here!" Marlon shouted, the dig probably holding a nugget of truth. "These sailing ships go so much faster than your southern beasts." And then he disappeared on the deck.

Hiram cursed under his breath. True, he didn't much care what happened to the pirates. But he did care what happened to Drokko … and to Marlon, for some odd reason. He spurred his dalgo on, hoping to catch up before too much blood was spilled.

…

The ship which the mate in the nest had spotted wouldn't have passed even the most basic of testing at Harkon Hall. It had been slapped together by unskilled southern shipwrights for short river journeys where land was never farther than the bank. But even though the vessel was shoddy it could very well hold treasure that would go a long way in keeping Sanya's crew happy.

As they pulled up to the other ship Jak came up beside her. "Do you think it's maybe just...I don't know."

"Don't know what?"

Jak looked hesitant but continued. "Isn't this a little too easy?"

Warning bells sounded in Sanya's head and not a moment too soon. A harpoon rocketed past her and sunk into another sailor's chest.

"Kriff!" Sanya swore. They were in it now. This section of the river wasn't wide or deep enough for them to maneuver out of the way like they could on the open sea. Then she screamed, drew her knives, and threw herself into the fray.

The crew didn't need any other signal. They may have been caught off guard but the pirates were always ready for a fight. If it was fated to be their last, may they go down with a glorious battle cry!

But the other crew, the rivermen, were also ready. They poured into the fight with blades drawn and bloodthirsty vengeance. And most alarming of all, they outnumbered the crew of the _Bloody Galia_ two to one. Sanya was dancing dangerously close to death or captivity when she realized what needed to be done. With a quick "cover me!" to Jak she raced off to the brig.

Drokko Kira perked up when she entered, no doubt wondering what all the excitement was about. "Ran into the rivermen, did you?"

"I hate to ask you this," she said, unlocking his cell door. "But we need your help."

He exited the cell and she — stupidly — held out one of her knives, half expecting him to slash at her with it. But Drokko just smiled and took it. "Excellent."

And then he charged into the fray. Salt gods, he was like a whirlwind! The other beast rider had also caught up with them and took on the enemy from behind. Together, they turned the tide.

Sanya was beginning to really enjoy herself when she found herself fighting back to back with Kira. They were like two gears in the same machine and she could tell he thought the same when he called back over his shoulder, "So does this mean you're setting me free, Captain?"

"Not kriffing likely!" she skewered an opponent and then kicked out to dislodge the body from her blade. "You're still as much my prisoner now as when we dragged you aboard!"

Drokko laughed. "I wouldn't expect anything less!"

She started to turn but before she could confront him face to face something else caught her eye. Her medic was engaged in a duel of her own with one of the rivermen.

Mhaegen was holding her own valiantly but someone else was standing by in case she should have need of assistance. Hiram Gerrera studied her as she fought and smiled when she dispatched the killing blow.

It was one of the last battles on the deck so it held nearly everyone's attention. But then… it happened very fast. The dying man reached up in a last effort to stand and grabbed at the medic's tunic. The fabric ripped, exposing the true nature of the _Bloody Galia's_ ship's surgeon to one and all.

Mhaegen grabbed at the scraps of her garment trying to cover herself. She was saved the trouble as Hiram quickly advanced, removing his own shirt and handing it to her.

"Looks like we have some work to do." He lowered his gaze while she pulled the shirt on over her head, offering a shred of dignity that her own crew abandoned as they stared at her in shock at the realization.

"Aye." she sighed, ready to get to the task at hand.


	22. Circling Deeper

Back to Harkon Hall spiraling to an even lower circle of hell.

* * *

Talya ran through the corridors of Harkon Hall with her little niece Betha, trying to make her laughs sound genuine. Betha had been upset about the cold and glum which had settled over the Hall and Talya decided to play with her to seem happy and normal.

It was hard. Lord Blackwell out of the _kindness of his heart_ had allowed them to stay in the Hall, even with their massive debts. But a roof over their heads was all they had. Papa had been forced to turn over all his accounts and all their valuable possessions to Lord Blackwell.

Dalla had been in contact with her family to get she and Herron and Betha away but that line of communication was suddenly cut off. No member of the family could leave the island. The not-so-subtle guards following them around made sure of that. Even their food and their central heating was strictly rationed. He was squeezing them for every drop.

Talya knew the only reason they were allowed to stay at all was to keep up appearances for the shipwrights so they would work without complaint and Lord Blackwell could reap the profits. That, and Talya and Betha themselves. Any bride price paid for the the Harkon females would go directly to the Blackwell coffers.

"Tally!" Betha shrieked and zoomed ahead of her. "Watch me!"

"I'm watching, Betha."

The little girl attempted a somersault but veered sharply and wound up going around a corner and directly into a wall.

Talya heard the impact and ran after Betha but she was beaten by a deep, male voice. "Oh, don't cry. It's just a bump on the head."

She recognized the voice and her blood went cold. She raced around the corner as fast as she could.

Trevon Blackwell helped Betha to her feet and spoke to her kindly. "Why, I know people who can detach their own thumbs. Do you want to see?"

Betha sniffed. "Uh-huh."

Trevon smiled and indulged her with a quick magic trick that looked like he'd lost his thumb and made Betha laugh. "There we go!"

He turned in Talya's direction and she curtsied politely. "Pardon us. I didn't realize you had arrived for your annual visit, my lord."

"Aye, I was just on my way to speak to your father." Trevon looked at her almost apologetically. "I'd like to get this unpleasantness over for him."

"Well don't let us keep you." Dalla had overheard the conversation and shot out to grab both Talya and her daughter and pull them away.

"Thank you, Lady Harkon."

Talya wouldn't have minded getting the chance to speak to him for a moment longer. She wanted to ask him how his son was doing and Miara, if they had heard anything about his brother.

The Harkons hadn't heard a word from the outside world in months. She would have given almost anything to hear what Sanya was up to. There had been that whisper of a rumor before the siege that Jamos had found her!

"Betha, it's time for you to get ready for bed," Dalla was saying to her daughter.

The little girl pouted, "but Momma it's so cold."

"Well, go see if your Papa will bring you a pup to snuggle with from the kennels."

It surprised Talya that her sister-in-law was willing to break her own rule about allowing cogs in their living quarters but once the little girl had run off in search of her father, Dalla rounded on her. "He's here. What are you going to do about it?"

"He?" Talya took a step back.

"Trevon Blackwell," Dalla pronounced as if she was speaking to an idiot. "Please don't tell me you're going to let everything Miara and I taught you go to waste."

Talya swallowed surely Dalla couldn't mean… "But he's Miara's husband."

"She knows how the game is played. She came from nothing and married a noble because she was supposedly carrying his child, but what proof did she have? Everyone knew he should have been betrothed to you. You should take what's rightfully yours."

"But… I was betrothed to his brother."

Dalla sighed, exasperated. "Exactly. The Blackwells slighted you twice. Those agreements go both ways. You were expected to produce an heir for their house but they never gave you the opportunity. No one ever knew for sure if he had done the deed when he brought her home pregnant from that voyage and she had no family to act as her witness when they stood together at the salt formation. If you could seduce him, he could deny that their marriage was ever legal. He could have a true noble born heir and you could save your family. The time is now."

"Why now though?" Talya was trembling. "You've never… suggested anything like this before."

Dalla took a deep breath. Talya hadn't noticed before how exhausted and worried her sister-in-law looked. "Because... I'm pregnant."

Talya gasped. "I thought you had ways to keep from…"

"Well they're not one hundred percent effective, obviously! And I'm not going to be able to keep it hidden for much longer. As fast as I'm growing, I can only guess... that it's twins."

Talya knew that the Harkon male line had been carried on traditionally for centuries by two pregnancies which resulted in two girls and a boy in some combination.

Dalla rubbed her temples, trying to soothe an oncoming headache. "If the pattern holds true I'm carrying the next heir of Harkon Hall, the heir of... nothing at all, not to mention another girl for them to sell off."

Talya remained quiet.

"If Trevon's marriage is discredited they'll give up all this talk about a match between his supposed heir and Betha."

They both looked down the corridor the way the little girl had run before Talya shook her head adamantly. "I-I can't do that. Besides I… already tried to contact someone who I think might be able to help."

Dalla grabbed onto her arm with a shred of hope. "Who?"

"I got a message out to Bralyk Keep before communications were cut off."

Dalla tightened her grip. "Have you heard anything?"

"Even if the Bralykburns considered it they would probably have to negotiate with the Blackwells for my marriage now and… we wouldn't have any of the benefit."

"You have to find a way to negotiate on your own."

"How can I?"

Dalla began to pace and when she put her fists on her hips and pulled the fabric of her dress tight over her belly Talya could see the evidence of the baby or babies within.

"Maybe we could get a message to Miara."

Talya gaped at her and gave a mirthless laugh. "Well, it's a good thing I didn't try to steal her husband."

"You have to be willing to do anything."

…

There wasn't much to offer Trevon in the way of dinner but surely he knew that. His own father had arranged for the grocery deliveries after all. Still he made pleasant conversation, didn't mention the food, and ate modestly. When the time came for Lord Harkon to hand over the latest payments, Trevon took them without fuss or much comment and went back to the meal.

It was nice to be treated like people instead of prisoners. Still Talya was suspicious. Trevon seemed kind but he was still a Blackwell, there under his father's orders. He had to have something up his sleeve.

Talya's hands shook as she prepared the teapot. She made sure the liquid inside wasn't too hot or too cold, but just right, and carried it oh-so-carefully to the table until her feet tangled together and she sloshed half the contents right onto Trevon.

"Oh my salt gods! I'm so sorry!" Talya grabbed as many napkins as she could grab and tried in vain to dry him off. Her heart pounded in her chest. Trevon had been polite, but this was a nearly unforgivable act.

"It's alright," he said softly while the other family members jumped up from the table and scurried around trying to fix this disaster. "It wasn't your fault. None of this is your fault." And then almost too low for her to hear he whispered, "I told Father he should have let me go and fetch Jamos and bring him back to marry you."

She froze and whispered back, "I thought no one knew where he was?"

Trevon looked at her intently for a moment as if wishing her to understand more than he was able to say.

And then someone stepped between them and Dalla grabbed her elbow and pulled her away.

"What are you doing?" She hissed. "Contrary to what you might have read in your romance novels, pouring tea on someone isn't a way to seduce them!"

"I have a plan!" Talya shot back. "Now get out of my way so I can carry it out."

Dalla begrudgingly let her go, watching with a hawk's eye as Talya made her way back to the table.

"My lord," she said with an intentional tremor in her voice. "It's too cold to be wearing wet clothes. Would you allow me to dry them for you?"

Salt gods bless him, it looked like Trevon was about to tell her it wasn't a concern at all until he noticed her expression. Talya looked as if she was about to cry. "I would appreciate that, Miss Harkon."

…

"Well, at least you got him to take his clothes off," Dalla snarked as she and Talya watched Lord Harkon bid farewell to Trevon later that evening.

"It wasn't about that. I never…" Talya huffed. "And I doubt if I did manage to… that he would have ever been allowed to claim any child of mine as his own. There was something he said."

"And what was that, pray tell?"

Talya was still trying to puzzle it out in her own mind, the way he had said it. "He said that he asked if he could go and get Jamos to make him marry me. He said it like they knew where he was and his father let him go."

Dalla was quicker on the uptake. "Like Lord Blackwell never intended to give you to either one of his sons."

"He's only ever wanted the Hall with no Harkons attached."

"So you gave him a tea shower to get back at him?" Dalla scoffed.

"No. I did what you said. I got a message to Miara."

…

"Trev!" Miara practically threw herself into her husband's arms when he arrived home. "I missed you!"

 _Missed him_ wasn't the half of it. Miara had done a lot of thinking after Trevon left the harbor and placed herself into Talya Harkon's shoes. Lord Blackwell wanted nothing more than for House Harkon to sink beneath the waves and leave the shipbuilding business to himself, but Talya didn't know that. With her knowledge and if she was smart, she'd be doing anything she could to get a Blackwell baby in her belly.

Trevon was honorable, but Miara knew firsthand he could be … distractible. That's why it was now time to make sure she was his one and only, forever.

But it appeared nothing of the sort had transpired at Harkon Hall from the way Trevon talked as she worked on the buttons of his shirt. "I know Father is trying to bleed them dry, but there's a small child living there. They need to have food and heat for Betha at least."

"Mmm hmm." Talk was cheap. Sex got things done.

"I just can't imagine Alon having to live like that."

"I'm sure you can find a way to convince your father to loosen his grip later." She tore his shirt off and for a second she felt something that didn't belong in his pocket. Was it a piece of flimsi? She'd have to check later. "Now, I want both your eyes on me."

After the deed was done and Trevon lay dozing, Miara carefully located his clothing where it landed and pulled out the suspicious piece of flimsi. She was pleasantly surprised to find her name inked across the seal with distinctly feminine handwriting.

Without hesitation she opened and read it.

Yutton Bralykburn? A secret pickup in the night? A signal?

 _Well,_ she thought and picked up her clothes in preparation for the comms she had to make. _Looks like Talya Harkon has some brains in her head after all._


	23. Her Last Report

She had known that the majority of her crewmates would refuse her treatment as soon as they discovered what she really was. She had never guessed that they would have been in the middle of a medical crisis when that time came.

The captain growled at the men in her defense, something about if they didn't want to bleed out or die of infection they should get kriffing over it and let the medic to her work. But there were others, those not in immediate need of attention who decided to wait until they could be seen by the visiting beast rider healer.

Mhaegen shut herself away in the med bay while the triage and sewing up of minor wounds continued up on deck where the light was better. She had to think about what she was going to do now, where she was going to go. She couldn't stay on board the _Bloody Galia_ if they wouldn't let her do her job.

She was still mulling it over when there was a knock at the door. "Aye, who is it?"

Able seaman Nathon Boggs slowly opened the door twisting his hat in his hands.

"Can I help you with something?" Mhaegen asked. The sailor had been on the _Bloody Galia_ longer than she had herself. Maybe someone had finally come to their senses.

Or maybe not. "Is it really you, Meggy?"

"Aye," she answered cautiously.

He glanced behind him before he fished a few credits out of his pocket and held them out to her. "Got some of my prize money saved up. Thought maybe… for old times sake."

Salt gods! How could she have forgotten that he had been one of her customers back at Madam Korina's?

"Get out!" her voice was deadly calm.

"Ah come on." He tried again. "We had some good times didn't we?"

"I said, Get Out!" She was firmer this time but before she had to use physical force a dark hand fell on the sailor's shoulder.

"I believe the lady asked you to leave." Hiram Gerrera was head and shoulders taller than the sailor.

Boggs wisely took the suggestion and scarpered back to his own berth.

Mhaegen slumped down into the chair at her desk with her head in her hands.

"Are you alright?" the other medic asked. "We were so busy seeing to the other injuries, I didn't get a chance to see if you had been wounded."

"Only my pride."

He nodded. "I believe everything has been taken care of topside."

"Thank you. I doubt they'll ever trust me again after this. I didn't mean to lie to them only to…" She shook her head. "You don't want to hear it."

"I do actually." He pulled up a stool to sit on and then held out his hand. "But I don't believe we've been formally introduced. I'm Hiram Gerrera and you are?"

"Mhaegen." She shook his hand with the beginnings of a smile on her face and then she let the whole story flow out of her. She spoke of her mother and the island where she grew up. She talked about the burning and her own escape only to find herself rescued by a couple of fishermen who landed her at the whorehouse.

She didn't hold anything back as she described the Madam's kindness in allowing her to study as long as she did her share of the 'work'. Then she told him about meeting Sanya, treating her blaster wound, and then disguising herself so she could sail away from all that. She wanted to be completely honest with him and if he turned away in disgust then she would know that the salt gods hadn't brought them together.

But he didn't get up and leave as she told her tale. He sat there, enthralled, and even handed her a handkerchief when she spoke of her mother and the tears began to slide down her cheeks.

She wiped at her eyes as she finished. "All I've ever wanted to do was make people better and now I'll never get another chance. Probably sounds crazy to you."

"No, it doesn't." Hiram assured her. "My mother was a healer, too. She and my father were both from beast rider clans but it had only been a couple of generations since a Kira stepped down from the throne and no one knew when or if the current Kira would retake the throne from the warden.

"My father was a craftsman. He did woodwork, ironwork. He made his life in the city building things and he was only trying to keep his family safe in the current political climate and not make any waves. He wanted his wife, my mother, to stay home with the children and not do anything unexpected. He should have known she'd never give up her passion for healing people.

"They argued and she ran away to the beast rider settlement and took me with her."

"I never knew my father," Mhaegen mused. "But your mother sounds a lot like mine."

"Except for the part about not wanting to be seen as a witch. My mom reveled in it." He smiled at the memory. "She knew all the proper techniques but she'd chant a bunch of gibberish while she worked, add some powder to the fire to make the smoke turn bright colors, or add smelly herbs to her potions. I guess she thought if her patients believed she could curse them to Dxun she could protect herself and me."

"But they accepted her, the beast rider clans I mean?"

"Oh yeah, Drokko's dad saw to that. He knew she was a serious healer for all her show and he respected her and gave her his protection. I think he may have actually fallen in love with her but he never acted on it because technically she was still married to my dad."

"So you and Drokko grew up like brothers?"

"We did." he nodded but there was something behind the words.

She reached out a hand and touched his arm. "What happened?"

"Something like your mother I suppose, she… lost a patient. There was no angry mob chasing her or anything like that. They knew she had done everything she could but she was covered in blood for the effort."

"It's alright if it's too difficult," Mhaegen offered.

"No. You told me your story. I want you to hear mine." He took a deep breath. "There was a wild dalgo who had been giving the handlers trouble. He must have smelled the blood on her. It wasn't really his fault. It's natural for them. They're carnivores."

Mhaegen's eyes grew wide but she didn't voice her horror.

"Lord Kira raced toward her screams and killed the beast but it was already too late for her when he arrived."

"Hiram… I'm so sorry."

He sniffed and swallowed in a heroic effort not to give in to his own tears. "He carried her body, or what was left of her, I wasn't allowed to see, back to the city to be buried in the beast riders' tombs. He walked the whole way in silence. The last lonely walk, they called it. They said it was just like his grandfather who had carried the Blackwell girl from the carnage of her ship."

She was silent, giving him a moment before she asked. "And then… Lord Kira took you in?"

"No." Hiram shook his head. "Not that he wouldn't have. The walk to the tombs attracted a crowd, among them was my father. When he realized who it was who had died he demanded that I come home to live with him and learn his trade. Well, what could I do? He was my father."

"You moved back to the city?"

"I did," he agreed. "And as much as I wanted to hate it and my father for pushing my mother away, I found that I loved building things. I loved the way the tools felt in my hands and seeing the plans come to fruition." There was a light in his eyes when he spoke of it. "Of course I missed being in the jungle with the beast riders. I'd come to think of that as my home and them as my family."

"Then what brought you here?"

"It was when we started hearing around the city about the current warden dying and the heir of the throne in question. I knew they'd be coming after Drokko. I wanted to go and warn him. But my father told me if I left his house and went back to the beast riders, I was no longer his son."

"You chose Drokko over your own father."

"As much as I liked building and working with my hands, my brother needed me to use the skills that my mother had taught me."

Mhaegen looked down at their clasped hands. When had they begun holding hands? She enjoyed the sensation and didn't let go. "What will you do now that Captain Harkon has captured him and is taking him off to the northern sea?"

"I honestly don't know," Hiram smiled. He also didn't seem to mind the simple contact and he didn't press for anything more than that.

They talked all night long with the door to her cabin slightly a jar so if anyone cared to observe they could see that nothing but talking happened between them but they were left alone and when dawn broke Mhaegen excused herself from her new friend saying she had to speak to the Captain.

…

"You just met!" Sanya railed. "You don't know anything about him!"

Mhaegen sighed. "I know more about him than you or your sister would have known about your betrothed before you were forced to marry. I'm entering into this willingly. I'm sure it won't be easy but I told him all about my past and he has accepted me as I am."

"He wants the sole privilege to kriff you. Is that it?"

"No." Mhaegen shut her eyes in an effort to keep from rolling them. She hadn't guessed that the Captain would be so vehemently against the proposition. Or maybe it was just the idea of losing a trusted medic and friend. "He's said that if I'm not ready for that I can take as much time as I need for us to become comfortable with each other."

"How sweet." Sanya crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

"Captain," Mhaegen began again gently. "I have tried my best to do my job for you and the rest of the crew."

"I'll talk to them. You don't have to leave. They'll come to their kriffing senses and get used to the idea."

"They won't. We both know that. And I hate leaving you this way. That hypo I gave you. I don't know how long it will still be effective and when it does wear off…"

"You're the one who's gonna go off and have babies. I'm not your patient to worry about anymore." Sanya's tone had changed. As much as she hated the idea, she knew Mhaegen was right and that she should be allowed to go and live her own life.

Mhaegen smiled a bit sadly. "But will you do it? You're a ship's captain. You have the authority to perform marriage ceremonies."

Sanya shook her head. "I'm not even sure I believe in the salt gods. Are you positive you want me?"

"Well yes, but I also don't want to live with a man who I'm not married to. So if I'm leaving the ship with him… I want to do this before we go." She didn't realize until the words were out of her mouth that they might be a dig at the captain's present sleeping arrangements.

Sanya didn't seem to notice. "I wish you didn't have to go."

"I can't stay if they won't let me do my job."

…

For a marriage of convenience, the couple on the deck of the _Bloody Galia_ sure did gaze at each other as if there were some greater passion between them. They promised to be committed to each other no matter what. It was officially a legal contract but when they kissed for the first time at the end of the ceremony it was like a chemical reaction.

Mhaegen didn't know before that moment if she would ever be comfortable having a man touch her that way again. It surprised her how very much she wanted her husband to make love to her. And Hiram was fully prepared to spend his life showing her how worthy she was of his love.


	24. Back to the Sea

Sanya didn't think she'd done a half bad job at officiating only the second wedding she'd ever attended. The first had been Herron and Dalla's but she hadn't been paying a great deal of attention at the time since she had been planning her escape.

It was a good thing that she had a copy of the book that all northern sea captains carried to instruct them on what words to say at all kinds of official functions. She wasn't completely sure where she had gotten the thing. She had found it in her cabin. Maybe they were like those volumes of the salt gods' scriptures that showed up in the bedside table drawers at inns, meant to give wayward travelers comfort and conviction.

Mhaegen and Hiram had seemed to think she had done alright. Of course they'd been so busy staring at each other she was fairly sure they hadn't really heard a word she said.

Someone else had been staring intently at her during the entire event. Drokko Kira now sauntered across the deck towards her as she watched the shore where the newlyweds had disappeared on the back of his beast.

Why hadn't someone put this idiot back in his cage? She wondered. Sure she had allowed him to come up to the deck to see his cousin be married. But now that he had seen his last friend gallop away there was no reason for him to remain topside. Maybe her crew were just too busy following her orders and making the ship ready to continue north to bother with the prisoner.

"Hey." Drokko sidled up next to her at the rail.

She had to admit, she didn't hate him. He was good looking if you were into that tanned, rugged, beast rider type. He had a charisma and confidence that were magnetic and he was a brilliant leader to his people. He reminded her of herself, a child of nobility, bucking the system. But perhaps they were too much alike. And besides she had Jak.

"You're still my prisoner." She said without looking at him.

She did see him nod out of the corner of her eye. "Figured as much. Planning on dragging me all the way back as a prize to the Lords of the North?"

"Aye."

"Hmm," he mused as if he didn't approve of her plan.

She rounded on him. "What about it?"

Drokko shrugged. "I wouldn't have thought their opinion mattered to you that much."

"It doesn't!" she asserted, looking back out over the river.

He chuckled, "you certainly seem to like keeping one Blackwell happy."

"Jak's different." Sanya's grip tightened on the rail. She didn't have to explain herself to this savage. "He left all that kriffing society behind just like I did."

"Oh did he?" he scoffed. "You know what would really stick in their craw?"

"What?"

Before she could defend herself he pulled her close and kissed her hard. Salt gods could that man kiss! She felt herself giving in to the pleasure of it for a moment and then he whispered against her ear, "Come back south with me and show those northern bastards that House Kira still trumps them all."

She shoved him away and for good measure punched him in the face. "I am Sanya Harkon of the _Bloody Galia_! I am the captain of this vessel and all the men who serve on her. The next time you put your hands on me will be the last time you have hands."

Jak was just coming from below deck when he witnessed the kiss and the punch and heard her ultimatum loud and clear. _Bloody Dxun I love that woman_ , he thought as he marched purposefully toward the action. "Is there something I can help you with captain?"

"Get this scum back to his cage!" Sanya scowled without a further glance at Drokko Kira.

The quartermaster snapped his fingers and several of the crew members rushed forward to do the captain's bidding.

Usually Jak's never ceasing chatter soothed her. "It'll be over soon. Another day and a half on this stinking river and then we'll be back on the northern sea. Then on to the Hold to hand over the riff raff…"

 _The Hold._ Her thoughts ran in undercurrent to his words. She couldn't just kriffing sail into the Hold and expect to be warmly embraced by the family. She remembered very well that feast day, the one and only time she actually set foot in the place. She remembered how Jak's brother's doxy was treated by the whole north.

And now here she was kriffing, but not married to, a Blackwell.

Sanya was all bluff and bluster but she was brought up as a noble and she would never want to disgrace Jak or her own family. It was easier to pretend that all that hierarchy didn't exist but even being Captain of her ship she was very careful to keep things democratic. Every man and woman was equal aboard her ship and would get their equal share.

"Credit for your thoughts, my Lady?" Jak teased.

She was not in the mood. "I'm no lady! Bring Kira back on deck and drop anchor at the first mid river island we come to."

The quartermaster relayed her orders to the crew but he looked askance. "What are we doing exactly?"

"We're not going to Blackhold."

"We're not?"

"What?" She shot him a glare. "I thought you never wanted to go back there again."

"Well, aye but it was going to be quite a jibe parading a Kira in front of his centuries old enemies."

"Maybe the enemy of my enemy is my kriffing friend."

He wasn't sure how to take that but Jak knew when to shut up and obey orders. Perhaps there would be time later when they were alone in their cabin to discuss it further.

They came up alongside a small mid-river island after about a standard hour and lowered a plank down to its shore.

"I just saved your ship and you're throwing me off?" Drokko sneered as she pointed the way down with her short sword in no uncertain terms.

"Aye, I am."

He had the gall to wink at her as the plank was drawn up and he was left standing there on the sand. "At least leave me some food!"

Sanya threw a tin of ship's biscuit at him.

He dodged neatly and then picked it up and looked at the label. "Some real food!"

"The great beastmaster can't find his own food?" She taunted him as they upped anchor and began to drift into the current. "You can swim ashore and walk back or call for one of your beasts to fly you home."

"You're quite a woman, Captain Harkon," he smiled at her and waved as they sailed away. "Don't you worry what anyone thinks about you. Just be yourself and let the rest of them be kriffed!"

…

Marooning Drokko was a balm to her anxiety but Sanya was still itching for a fight as they pulled away from the island and soon enough the salt gods smiled down on her.

The next ship they encountered was just asking to be taken. She was small and flying Bralykburn banners. Just looking at the sigil made Sanya remember Yutton, the entitled little lordling who'd tried to charm Talya. He made her blood boil. He might not be on this particular vessel but hopefully she could send a message to him.

The Bralykburn vessel didn't put up much of a fight. They were a trading vessel with few weapons and the _Bloody Galia's_ crew took them easily.

There wasn't much of value in the cargo hold but Sanya ordered her men to take what they had as she surveyed what remained of the vessel's crew.

"You there," She leveled one of her blades at an officer. "What else do you have on this tub?"

"Besides a score of unwashed sods? You've taken it all."

Her crew knew better than to take his word and already Sanya saw Freddie lead a group to search the ship for anything hidden. "And your craven lord?" She asked. "Where might he be while pirates are raiding his shipments?"

The officer's face broke into a horrible smile which showed off his rotten and missing teeth.

"On his way to Harkon Hall," his sadistic grin deepened. "To get himself a bride."

Force of habit alone kept Sanya from dropping her blade. "What?!"

"Clearly he's selling himself short," the officer said over her and looked her up and down. "He should have set a course for the other twin."

Sanya sliced his throat in one smooth motion and almost immediately regretted it. How would she squeeze more, important, information out of him now? But once she remembered what his lord was about to do the rage filled her once again.

Jak hurried to her side. "Was that absolutely kriffing necessary?"

"Absolutely!" She shot back and then raised her volume so the crew could hear. "Forget the search! Kill this lot, throw their corpses over the side and get back on the _Galia!"_

If the crew noticed or cared about the captain's mood whiplash they didn't let on. They drew their own weapons and converged on the captured crew.

Protests and curses rang out from all the captives but one rose above all the others. "Hey, I'm just the ship's nurse! I don't have anything to do with this!"

Sanya's attention was piqued. She quickly located the source of the voice: a portly man with sandy-colored hair. She had to have heard him wrong; she'd never heard of a male nurse before. "Did you say you're a medic?"

"I'm a nurse." He replied.

"Aye alright, I guess we could use one of those. Maybe I won't kill you." She waved to a member. "Markos, bring the nurse aboard. Kill the rest."

"Jon!" One of the captives shouted after the nurse as Markos led him away. "We were always good to ya. You could vouch for us."

"After what you've done?" Jon snorted. "Not kriffing likely."

Sanya followed him on board while her crew dispatched the rest. No sooner had the last man set foot on the deck then they set sails and hoisted the anchor. They were going to Harkon Hall with all speed.

The very idea of what Bralykburn might do to her sister made her feel literally sick. She stopped and held onto the rail for a moment swallowing back the bile in her throat.

Jon, the new nurse, did not fail to notice. "You're looking a little green, Captain. Can I…"

That was all she needed, a brown noser when the stakes were so high. "I've already had my yearly kriffing physical. See to the men and leave me be."


	25. Chasing the Tide

It had been a long time since she had sailed these waters, but Captain Sanya Harkon wasn't admiring the view as she sleeplessly paced the deck willing the wind to carry them faster. The only time she was still was when she stood at her old favorite spot in the bow, leaning out like a figurehead.

She was so exhausted that she was beginning to see things. Was that a ship? Would they overtake Bralykburn before they reached the island? No, it was just brylk playing in the waves.

Sanya rubbed her eyes and a shadow descended over her. It was just like so long ago when Leon came to stand beside her and dropped the hat, that she still always wore, onto her head to hide her long red hair for the taking of their first prize. Only this wasn't Leon. Leon was dead.

The tall figure of Jamos Blackwell spoke softly, concerned by her recent behavior. "You need sleep. You'll be no good to anyone if you're too exhausted to stand and fight."

Reluctantly she followed him to her cabin after securing a promise from Freddie to alert her if they sighted anything at all.

Sleep still didn't come easily but Jak had ways of helping her to relax and she must have drifted off at some point because he was still lying there beside her when she woke. She had had her doubts when she put Drokko off on that island that maybe she had made the wrong choice. Maybe she shouldn't be with a Blackwell. But now her heart swelled at the sight of him.

"I love you, Jak."

He smiled and kissed her nose and then began to jabber while they rose to dress. She wasn't really paying attention to his words just enjoying the tone and cadence of his voice until something sparked her interest.

"What did you just say?"

He pulled his tunic over his head before he responded, "Just that I'm surprised it took him this long to go and get her. When I saw him he seemed pretty eager."

"You saw Yutton Bralykburn?" She tried to let that sink in. "When was this? When were you going to tell me about this?"

"It was… the same night I ran into you actually." He smiled at the memory but she wasn't smiling. "He was as surprised as you were that I wasn't standing at the salt formation with Talya at that very moment."

"That was two years ago," Sanya realized.

"Aye," he chuckled still not grasping her mounting displeasure. "He had been sent by his father after you, since they'd heard about my betrothal to your sister, but when I told him I wasn't going to go through with it…"

Sanya's hand went to her knife instinctively. It was a very small part of herself that stopped her from drawing it and burying it in Jak's chest.

"You knew he was going to take my sister for _two years,"_ she growled. "And you didn't bother to tell me?!"

He noticed now how furious she was and tried to explain himself: "I never thought he would try something against her will. I assumed he would offer -."

"Get out." She knew she didn't want to kill him but in her present state she was quickly forgetting it.

Jak, wisely, hurried out of the cabin and let the door slam behind him.

...

Able Seaperson Freddie leaned against the rail with macrobinoculars pressed to her eyes, scanning the waters ahead. She'd only seen Harkon Hall once or twice when she was sailing with her father, and he'd kept her close at hand the one time he got shore leave there. But like her captain the island didn't distract her. She had a job to do, and she was going to do it.

That was until she heard a huff behind her and a man asked "Tell me, is the captain always so short?"

Freddie lowered the binoculars. Jon stood beside her almost at attention.

"She will be if you keep sucking up to her like that," she gestured to Jon's posture. "We're pirates, not the kriffing navy."

Jon relaxed. "Something's not right with her, something medical, but she won't let me examine her." He scoffed. "Not that it's anything new; hardly anyone on my old crew wanted me to treat them either."

"Why was that?" She hadn't seen Jon in action, but from the looks of Boggs' arm he was a quick and accurate worker, sewing up the gash without too much pain.

"According to them nursing is women's work. The only reason a man would become a nurse is to get a good look at the other men." As he spoke he rolled his eyes.

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Want to get a good look at the other men?"

"No!"

Freddie shrugged. "Nothing I haven't seen before."

"Well you're not seeing it here," Jon groused. "I like women, always have, but good luck trying to get anyone in the north to believe it."

"If your job causes you that much trouble, why'd you choose to be a nurse?" She too had a job that had given her grief, but she hadn't exactly chosen it and she'd gotten out the second she had a chance.

"Because it's the best job in the galaxy," he answered immediately. "I save lives. And I get to work with the most impressive women there are."

She didn't notice he was staring at her when he said it. Instead Freddie was absorbed by the captain's door swinging open and Jak all but flying out.

"Looks like the captain's not happy," she muttered.

"This is what I was talking about. Mood swings, short temper, even vomiting on the deck. In fact…" to Freddie's horror Jon started toward to cabin. "Now's the time to examine her if I'm going to catch everything. "

Freddie watched as Jon knocked on the captain's door and let himself in. "Well, there goes the bravest man I've ever met."

The words hadn't even left her mouth when Jon shot out of the cabin like he was propelled by the force of the captain's shout. Everyone on deck, Freddie included, flinched.

A series of loud noises indicated Captain Harkon was deigning to show herself and Freddie decided to look very busy. And busy she became as soon as she looked through the binoculars again.

"Freddie, report!" Sanya ordered.

Thank the salt gods she had something to report. "We've spotted a ship. Looks like the Bralykburns but it's a ways off and we have the wind to beat them to Harkon Hall."

"All sail! When we drop anchor, battle positions!"

…

Talya lit the brylk oil lantern and set it in the window of what had once been her sister's bedroom. Then she sat on the window seat and prayed to the salt gods that tonight might be the night that her rescuer would see it and know what it meant. She had done everything she could. She had passed the message to Miara.

There was no way of knowing if she had even found the note Talya had hidden in the pocket of Trevon Blackwell's shirt. Perhaps he had changed before he had arrived home at the Hold and the little sheet of flimsy had been lost or washed with the rest of the laundry.

Talya was fairly sure at least that it hadn't fallen into the hands of Lord Blackwell. If it had, surely there would have been reprisals for her audacity.

All she could do was set the signal that she had instructed Miara to tell Yutton Bralykburn to look for, and wait. She had done so the last three evenings and so far nothing, but it could have taken some time for him to get the message and make the voyage to the Hall. She had to believe that he still would come.

Hands folded anxiously in her lap, Talya looked around Sanya's room. It was much as it had been on the night she left four years before. No one ever came in here anymore but the room was joined to Talya's through their fresher so it was easy enough for her to enter undetected.

In the first days and weeks after Sanya's disappearance Talya came here often. She wondered if she might see Sanya's ship sailing back if she watched hard enough out this window. Very few ships sailed here now. That was another reason it was a good spot for her work her plan. Only if someone was looking for the light in the window would they know it was out of the ordinary.

She stood and walked to the bed, the last place she'd seen Sanya before she snuck out the window. Underneath it Talya had hidden a small bag packed with necessary items. She didn't have much anymore, after so many of their goods had been sold for the benefit of Lord Blackwell. She was able to pack an extra, modest dress to change into in case there was some adventure in her boarding of Bralykburn's ship and the one she was wearing became wet or dirty. She was nothing if not practical and she wouldn't appear before her future husband looking like a vagabond even if it was almost true.

Satisfied that her bag was still packed and ready to go she went back to the window. Perhaps it was a fool's hope.

She thought of going down the corridor to Herron and Dalla's wing and looking in on little Betha while she slept. It was becoming more obvious that the girl was going to be a big sister in a few months time but she hadn't been told that and Talya couldn't tell her goodbye either. It broke her heart.

She rested her head on the cool pane of transparisteel. She should just go back to her own bed, get some sleep, go back to playing the good daughter tomorrow morning. But then… was that a light out on the water? She cupped her hand against the window and squinted.

It was! It was a ship! Someone was coming! Someone had seen her light!

Alright! Aye! It was time! Her message had told Yutton to come to the cove around the east side of the island from the main ship building yards. That's where she would be waiting.

She slipped on her thin shoes and grabbed the bag. She said one last silent goodbye to the room and the house and her sleeping family and then she climbed out the window taking the lantern with her so she might have light on the path.

Is this what it was like when Sanya left home, she wondered? Maybe once everything was settled with Yutton he would agree to go and look for her sister. No one had yet been able to find her but there was always hope. After all her plan had worked. Her rescuer was coming.

…

The sky above was clear and cold and the stars so bright and familiar. None of the moons were shining tonight but Sanya didn't need them. She had seen the light of the lantern in her old bedroom window and she watched it now as it bobbed down the hill towards the little cove east and out of sight of the main harbor.

"Looks like someone's expecting us." She said softly but loud enough for her crew to hear and obey orders. "Better put up the banner that we took from that last frigate."

"The Bralykburn colors?" Freddie asked.

"Aye. We don't want to disappoint." Sanya pressed the macrobinoculars to her eyes again but she almost didn't need them to recognize the figure on the pebbly beach as her sister. When she lowered them again her cheeks were wet. It must have been the spray from the northern sea.

The captain scrubbed at her eyes with her sleeve and then pulled her hat lower over her face. "Lower the row boat. Markos you're with me." Then she looked at the others. "Stay close until you see my signal. Ready for action but don't attack without me. Bralykburn is mine. We've a score to settle."

She looked over the faces of the _Bloody Galians_ but she didn't see Jak. She was still angry at him but a glance from him would have still strengthened her resolve. Oh well, she'd have to go on without it.

Sanya jumped into the little row boat. Her sailing master already had his hands on the oars and was ready to row them in.

…

Talya didn't know one ship from another the way her sister had always seemed to. Sanya could rattle off the sets of the sails and masts and yards when she was not much more than a toddler. One thing Talya did know was heraldry however, and the flag on the ship that weighed anchor in the deeps off the cove was definitely a Bralykburn standard.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she watched a little boat being lowered over the side and two figures descending into it. She held up the lantern as if it would help her see if one of them might be Yutton. Maybe he would just send a couple of his men to fetch her instead of coming himself.

Suddenly fear pooled in the pit of her stomach. Had she done the right thing? The Bralykburns were known to go pirate. Her own sister had gone pirate. She really had no idea what she was getting into.

The little row boat hadn't reached the beach yet. Maybe she could run back to the Hall and forget all about this stupid plan. Maybe they would just sail away if they thought she had changed her mind. Her hand trembled as did the circle of light thrown by the lantern onto the rocks at her feet.

She froze hearing the bottom of the boat scrape against land and then one of the figures jumped out and splashed into the shallows.

"Lya!" That voice was definitely not Yutton Bralykburn. It was…

She was enveloped in a hug before she even had a moment to process. And then they were holding each other at arms length, staring at each other after so long. It was like looking into a cracked, dirty mirror.

"Kriff, Lya it's been so long!" Sanya cried. She was crying. She let go of her sister only to wipe at her eyes with the sleeve of her coat.

"What? How?" Talya glanced again at the ship and now she could see that it was the _Bloody Galia_ but the sails? The Bralykburn banner? They weren't sailing together now, were they?

"We got word he was coming? We sailed as fast as we could to get here before him. Everything is going to be fine now." Sanya took off her hat and crammed it down onto her sister's head with glee.

Her crew member had pulled the boat up a little further on to the beach.

Sanya looked at the things that her twin had been holding, the lantern and the small bag. "Is that all you're bringing? That's alright I've got stuff you can wear." She took the bag from Talia's hand ready to toss it to the man by the boat but then she stopped. A mischievous light came into her eyes as she opened it and examined the contents.

"Change of plans, Markos." Sanya dragged her sister toward the row boat. "Get her back to the ship and make sure she's comfortable in my cabin. You can toss out some of the quartermaster's gear if you have to."

"You're not coming back aboard, Captain?" the man scratched his head but he continued to follow orders.

"I'll be back on board soon enough." The pirate captain grinned from her crew member to her sister and back again, "Tell the crew to take the _Galia_ north around the spar and stay out of sight. I'm gonna give Bralykburn the surprise of his life."

Markos shook his head. "You can't take on the whole ship by yourself."

"I don't have to. I just need to get Yutton alone, kill him, and then wait till dark to take one of the ship's boats and you all can come and pick me up."

"Sanya, No!" Talya burst out.

The crew member seemed to agree with her. "There are so many things that could go wrong with this plan. The least of which is Jak finding out and murdering me because I let you go through with it."

"Come on. You know my luck is better than that."

"I hope it's not about to run out." The man put one of his feet into the boat and reached out a hand to help Talya aboard.

Talya turned again to her twin to protest. "Sanya, you don't understand. I planned for…"

"It'll be alright. Trust me." Sanya pushed her sister into the boat and helped Markos give it a shove into the surf. "I'll be there soon and then you can tell me everything. It's so good to see you!"

Sanya watched them for a moment longer and then picked up her sister's bag and looked around for a place she could change. Thank the salt gods for her sisters practicality. Everything she needed was here.

She made the transformation quickly thankful that the dress had a high collar that covered the tattoo on her chest. Speaking of her chest the bodice of the dress seemed a bit tighter than it should have. She and her sister were always around the same size. Though it had been four years and they had both done a lot of growing especially in that area. Maybe it was just because she had been working hard on her ship and was more muscular in her shoulders and back or maybe it was because her sister probably wore a corset.

Well there was no time for that. She managed to squeeze into the garment, hiding her own clothes and boots behind a rock. She pulled on the impractical slipper as she stepped back out onto the beach and looked out once again at the sea.

The home where she had grown up was just behind her but she didn't spare it a glance. The future was ahead and as she noticed the _Galia_ slipping around the northern tip of the island she saw another ship coming up from the south east. She hoped they hadn't spotted each other and then she remembered the lantern.

She held it high and waved it in the direction of the approaching vessel. "Come and get me Bralykburn," she whispered. "I'm ready for you."


	26. Bralykburn Showdown

They were all staring at Talya when she came aboard the _Bloody Galia_ , a group of the roughest men she had ever seen in her life. It was a little like that day that she had walked in on Sanya's knife throwing competition at the Hold when they were eleven but multiplied several thousand times.

She leaned toward the man who had rowed her here. He had identified himself as Markos Flint. "My sister is the captain, aye?" she asked softly.

"Aye and every man on this crew is loyal to her," Markos assured her.

"And woman!" a female voice spoke up from somewhere.

There were a few guffaws but Talya couldn't tell where the voice had come from. She cleared her throat and then asked, "Are you her First Mate then, Mr Flint?"

Markos shook his head. "No mates on this ship, m'lady. We sail by a different code."

That wasn't exactly reassuring. "But she does have some sort of second in command?"

Her host frowned a bit uncomfortably. "That would be Quartermaster Jak... Frasier."

Talya pushed back her shoulders in an effort to appear braver than she felt. "I would like to speak to him. As soon as possible."

"Alright, m'lady." Markos shrugged. "You just make yourself comfortable in the Captain's cabin, like she said, and I'll see if I can find him for ye. We gotta get underway, follow the captain's orders."

Talya entered the cabin and as she did she remembered that she had been here once before when she took a tour of the vessel while it was still being rigged out. She remembered that on the beach just now her sister had said something about tossing some of the quartermaster's things out if needs be. The evidence of her own eyes proved that her sister did share this cabin with someone, a male someone by the looks of it. That Markos Flint had said someone called Jak would be upset if he allowed her to rush into danger.

There was a knock at the door. Talia spun around to see a slightly more professional looking gentleman standing there. He was a sort of portly man with sandy-colored hair, not at all the sort Talya imagined her sister to fall for but she asked, "Are you Jak Frasier?"

"No, my Lady." He gave her a polite nod. "I'm Jon, the ship's nurse. I came to see if you needed anything. I had heard that conditions weren't very... amenable at the Hall recently. I could check you over if you'd allow me."

"No," she said a little too quickly and then tried to calm herself. He was only trying to make her welcome. "I'm fine. I appreciate your concern. Did my sister hear about our conditions also? Is that why she came to get me?"

"I don't believe so." Jon shook his head. "I'm new here as well and I haven't really been able to speak to her. I think her main purpose in coming was to... take out her vengeance on the young lord Bralykburn."

"Oh but she mustn't! He hasn't done anything wrong!"

At that moment another sailor walked in. He was tall and thin and completely unmistakable. "Someone was looking for me?"

Talya gasped, "Jamos!"

He froze in the doorway, one hand going to his face as if a little bit of facial hair might disguise him. "You know who I am?"

"Of course I remember you." She couldn't quite look him in the eye. _He_ was Quartermaster Jak Frasier who shared this cabin with her sister. "I was supposed to marry you."

"Aye, but... I mean, that was years ago." He couldn't exactly look at her either. She was so like Sanya, but not Sanya.

Jon didn't notice their awkwardness. He asked, "what do you mean, Bralykburn hasn't done anything wrong?"

As succinctly as possible, Talya explained about contacting Yutton and asking him to come and setting up the signal so he would know where to find her.

The two men looked at each other worriedly and said almost in unison, "Oh, kriff!"

Talya, resembling her sister even more, ordered, "Get me to the comm table!"

"We have a comm table?" Jak asked and Jon must have been wondering the same thing.

"It's in the First Mate's quarters!" She remembered from the plans her father and sister had poured over for so long. "I suppose that would be the Quartermaster's cabin?"

"So that's what that thing was…" Jak brightened.

The three of them marched purposefully towards the cabin that no longer belonged to a first mate or quartermaster.

Its current occupant noticed them and raced to catch up. "Can I help you with something?" Freddie asked.

"We need something in here." Jak threw open the door and nearly walked into a makeshift clothesline hung with ladies' underthings. Freddie's underthings, to be exact, hung out to dry from when she did her laundry. She might have worn trousers and shirt and vest when she was on duty but her tenure at the brothel had given her a taste for fine fabrics and lace.

She hurried into the room to pick them up from where they'd fallen on the floor when she looked back at Jak. "See anything you'd like me to let the captain borrow?"

"If she ever forgives me." He smirked and turned around to get Jon in on the joke when he remembered who else was there and froze.

Talya nodded. "You and my sister. I always guessed that you would be more suited to her than me."

"Look... I'm sorry."

"I'm not angry. I'm glad you found each other."

The conversation was interrupted by a little _eep!_ Jon was helping to pick up the items since his job made it automatic to clean up clutter. It wasn't until he had something particularly scandalous in his hand that he realized he wasn't picking up his patient's room, but rifling through Freddie's underwear.

"Uh...here." He handed the tiny garment over with an embarrassed smile and Freddie took it with a wink.

Talya ignored the exchange and walked to the now clear holotable. She managed to locate the button to turn it on and then froze. She'd seen Dalla work the Hall's holotable but never done it herself. She looked to Jak for help but he just returned her confused stare.

Jon stepped forward. "Allow me. I had to learn to send emergency messages for my training. Do you have an ID?"

"I don't know Yutton's. But I know someone who can patch us through to him." Jon entered the number and Talya wasted no time when her quarry appeared. "Miara, you have to patch me through to Yutton!"

" _What? Why?_ "

"Miara just do it!"

Jak and Freddie rushed out of the room as the comm connected, presumably to turn the _Galia_ around. Talya heard the click of connection. "Yutton, it's Talya. The person you brought on board isn't me! Sanya has the wrong idea and she -."

Yutton sounded pretty strained. _"Aye, I think I figured that out."_

"How did -?" She realized in an instant how he must have figured it out. "Oh gods. Sanya, don't hurt him!"

It was no use, the comm gone dead. Talya split for the deck and intercepted Jamos.

"We're on our way," he said. "Go to your sister's cabin and we'll take care of everything."

"No, he'll listen to me! You just get me on board."

...

The men who brought Sanya aboard the Bralykburn ship were remarkably gentle. It seemed Bralykburn didn't want his bride's fair skin marred by bruises, and the very thought filled Sanya with rage. It only got worse when they were winched up to the deck and Yutton himself offered his hand to help her aboard.

When Sanya remained silent he spoke first: "It's good to see you."

She wanted to rip him limb from limb with her bare hands but Sanya contained the rage. What would Talya do? Play along in hope he wouldn't hurt her. "You...you too."

Yutton beamed. Kriff him. "Let's get out of the cold."

She let him lead her to his cabin and shut the door behind them. It wasn't easy to see what kind of weapons he and his crew carried, but she didn't worry about it. Whatever it was the _Galia_ had faced worse odds.

"Here," Yutton produced a dress seemingly from nowhere and held it out in front of her. It didn't look like a wedding dress - not a fine material of Harkon pink or Bralykburn red, but a dark green fleece. "Do you like it?"

Sanya nodded and gave him her best duplicate of Talya's shy expression. "It's very nice."

"I got it on my last trading voyage. Knew you needed a warm one like it, with what's going on at the Hall."

What a terrible lie. The Harkon twins had all the dresses they could ever need. Still Sanya whispered "I did. Thank you."

"I can step out if you like." He made for the door.

"Actually…" She reached behind her head and fumbled for the laces to her dress. "Could you help me?"

Yutton stared at her with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"Of course," he returned to her side and undid the laces. His fingers rested on her bare back a little longer than necessary. Good.

Sanya sat on the edge of his bunk and made a good show of pushing up her skirt and slowly taking off her shoes, making sure to give him a good, distracting view.

"Here these are wet." He knelt in front of her and slowly rolled down her stockings. "Don't want you to catch cold."

Once his hands were on her legs all the work was done. Yutton massaged her calves to warm them up and traveled upward to her knees, and then with a little gesture from Sanya higher still. He moved from kneeling to sitting on the bunk beside her.

Surely this was where Talya would break. "Yutton -."

"Don't worry, Lya. I know it's your first time. I'll be gentle."

"Aye," Sanya growled in her normal voice. "But I won't."

She whipped a knife from a hidden sheath on her inner thigh, which Yutton had been only millimeters from finding himself, and held it to his throat.

Yutton smiled at her and swallowed. He started to nod but she pressed the knife closer.

He decided to speak instead: "That explains the sunburn and the calluses."

"Did you really think my sister would let you take her like a dockside whore?"

"You don't have the whole -." He was cut off by a comm device ringing. "I should get that."

"Be my guest."

Very carefully Yutton picked up the unit and put it on speaker. "This better be good."

 _"Yutton, it's Talya. The person you brought on board isn't me! Sanya has the wrong idea and she -."_

"Aye, I think I figured that out."

 _"How did - oh gods. Sanya, don't -!"_ The comm shut off.

It had to be a trick. Her own sister couldn't possibly be comming to warn him.

Yutton used her momentary indecision to knock the knife out of her grasp.

If she wasn't in this stupid dress she'd have half a dozen more blades concealed on her person but she probably wouldn't have taken the time to draw another even so. She drew back her fist and punched him as hard as she could in the face. They stared at each other for a moment in disbelief and then he reached up, touched his nose, and his fingers came away smeared with his own blood. "Why you little…"

Yutton threw a hook and she saw stars when it collided with her head.

She was strong and quick but he was much bigger than her. If only she had boots or heels so she could kick harder and make a lunge for her knife. When she tried to do so Yutton just grabbed her around the waist and brought her back for more punishment.

His defenses dropped for a second and Sanya seized the change, only for Yutton to land another punch to her face.

"I'm gonna make sure no one will be able to mistake you for your pretty sister."

Sanya reached behind her for something, anything she could use as a weapon but she only knocked into a table and heard the resulting crash of some sort of bottle smashing to the wooden floor. Perfume or wine perhaps, something to bribe or drug her sister into submission? Well now it was something else.

She felt around without taking her eyes off her adversary and wrapped her hand around a jagged shard that might reek the same damage as one of her blades.

Neither of them were paying attention to the commotion outside the cabin but when the door burst open and Talya stood there like an avenging angel they both looked up.

Sanya's face was a bloody mess, one of her eyes already nearly swollen shut. She was seeing double and when she caught sight of the twin image of her sister she giggled. "There's two of them."

"What did you do to her?" Talya moaned.

Jak ran in behind her and they both went to Sanya while Yutton stepped back with half formed excuses.

Sanya tried to grin up at them but she was now fighting dizziness and nausea and pain, "Hey Lya. I…"

"Why'd you do it, Nya?" Talya shook her head. "This was my choice. I want to marry him."

Sanya tried to shake her own head but it hurt too much and she nearly blacked out.

Jak scooped her up in his arms. "Shh it's alright. I'm here."

"Jak… she's crazy…"

"Don't try to talk," he soothed as he carried her towards the door.

"That's my hat." Sanya tried to crane her neck to look over his shoulder at her sister. "Is that really what I look like?"

"Not at the moment, my dear."

Talya and Yutton stood staring at each other. Her expression was one of fury while his managed to appear contrite. But before either could speak she reached up and touched his bleeding lip tenderly.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Sanya leaned away from Jak to let her vomit spray over the Bralykburn deck. "Don't let that nurse treat me, Jak. I'm fine."

"A bit of a concussion perhaps," Jak excused her as the captain slumped back onto his shoulder in a very real swoon. "I'll take her back to the Galia." He stepped gingerly over the mess and carried her to the rail where the two craft were lashed together.

"I should go and make sure she's alright," Talya announced but she didn't yet make a move to go.

Yutton tentatively took her hand. "Are… we still alright?"

"I… don't know. You came when I called but…"

He let go of her hand but made a motion for her to stay a moment longer. Then he stumbled to the place where he had laid her gift. He held up the dress in humble submission to her approval. "It was for you."

Talya couldn't help but reach out her fingers to touch the soft fabric. "It's beautiful."

He gestured for her to take it and she bundled it up in her arms. "It will keep you warm, on the way to the Keep?"

She nodded. "Thank you."


	27. To the Keep

Jon the nurse was trying to enter her cabin. "How bad does it look?" He called in. "Is she bleeding from anywhere else?"

Jak was baring his way, per orders. "What business is it of yours where she's bleeding from? She doesn't want you in there."

"I don't think so," Talya informed them. Her voice was closer. And someone was crying.

Sanya wished they would all shut up. Her head and face felt like Dxun and the pain in her hand was excruciating. Someone was trying to pry open her fingers. Oh… it was she who was screaming with the pain of it.

She tried to sit up but the dizziness and nausea forced her back down.

"Just take it easy, Nya." Talya said softly. "I really wish you'd let the nurse take a look at…"

"No!" Sanya tried to shake her head but it felt like she was going to black out again.

"I told you…" Jak said again from the cabin doorway.

Jon countered, "Don't you even care about your…"

"My what?" Jak argued.

"Never mind." Jon tried again to appeal to Talya. "How is the hand?"

Sanya's eyes sprang open as her sister managed to unclench her hand and remove the shard of bottle she had broken during the fight.

"Probably a good thing it was wine." Talya cringed trying to get a closer look. "The alcohol kept the wound clean but it's cut pretty deep."

"Not any deeper than the treachery of my sister, wearing a gift from the bastard who did this." While Talya had been examining her injuries, Sanya had recognized the green dress.

Talya jumped up, frustrated with her thankless twin. "You did this to yourself!"

"You sound like Dalla!"

"Dalla's been more of a sister to me than you have!"

Sanya retched, whether from the concussion or her sister's words neither was sure. She was aiming for her twin but Talya about faced out of the cabin and off the _Bloody Galia,_ ignoring Jon's questions about Sanya's injuries and instructions on what she had to do to treat them. She'd have to ask him to repeat it all later.

Yutton was waiting for her at the junction of the two ships and offered his hand to aid her crossing. She took it gratefully.

"If you'd like to stay the night with your sister I can have your things brought over to the _Galia,"_ he offered.

"Thank you, Yutton," she smiled sweetly at him. "I'd actually like to stay here if that's alright."

"Of course it's alright!" he said. "Just let me clean up my cabin. I think your sister tore down the hammock I was going to sleep in."

"I'll help," she volunteered. "It's always easier to sling up a hammock with another person holding the rope, aye?"

"Aye, it is."

"I saw the hammock earlier," Talya admitted. "I didn't have the chance to say anything then, but I appreciate the thought."

Yutton tried to play it off. "I didn't want to impose. There's nowhere else on the ship fit for a lady. Though I suppose this cabin isn't either, with the broken glass." He bent to pick up a shard when he felt a tug and looked back.

Talya's hand was still entwined in his. She blushed furiously and let go so he could work, and he tried to pretend the burning in his ears was from the heat.

"I'm sorry Sanya broke this," Talya also knelt to help clean up the remains of the bottle. "It must have been quite expensive."

"It was for you," he said lamely and then hurried to amend when he realized how that might sound. "Not to get you drunk or anything like that, just because I thought you might like something fine and cultured with our meals. It's dry and smooth, goes very well with seafood."

"Does it?" she sounded a little skeptical.

 _She'd figured him out! She knew he was a phony!_ He rushed to cover. "Well, that's what the clerk who sold it to me said. I don't know anything about wine."

His sincerity made her blush and she began to ramble, "I don't really either. I was too young and then we couldn't really afford…"

"You won't want for anything now." He took her hand again. "I'll make sure of that."

Her gaze dropped and that reminded her. "I meant to thank you… for the dress."

"It looks beautiful. You… look beautiful…"

…

Back on the _Bloody Galia_ …

Jak rushed to Sanya's side as soon as the place was vacated.

She turned away from him to face the bulkhead. "Your beautiful betrothed is here now. You can stop pretending that you're interested in my sorry shebs."

He reached out to touch her hair. "I happen to like your shebs very much. I've heard hers don't have the same charming birthmark and I'm pretty sure she doesn't have my name tattooed between her legs."

She swatted his hand away with her own injured extremity, sucked in a breath from the pain and then tried to play it off. "Here's your chance to find out."

"Nya, I never wanted your sister. It's always been you."

 _Maybe she had been too young to remember, but he had a clear memory of his seventh birthday when his parents informed him that the Harkons would be coming to the Hold to deliver his gift._

 _The Harkons, he knew, were famous for ship building and what other reason could Mother and Father have for inviting the Harkons to bring him a gift if it wasn't going to be what their family was best known for. At least that's what he told himself in his immature optimism._

 _When his family met the Harkons at the dock and the disgruntled looking boy who was about his own age came down the gangplank holding the leash of a northern cognine pup, Jamos hardly gave the animal a second glance. He was too busy studying the craft upon which they had arrived and wondering how they were going to get back to the Hall of this was to be his ship now._

 _He had sulked his way through his birthday dinner after finding out the truth and hardly noticed the guests who had joined his family at the table. The boy, Herron, seemed as disappointed to give up the cog as Jamos himself was to receive it. And Herron's siblings were just identical little girls, until one of them distinguished herself._

 _"Papa, can we go back to the ship now?" She asked irreverently. "I want to get back out on the sea."_

 _Jamos saw then that she wasn't merely a copy of the other girl. One of her braids had come undone and her father gently tucked the wayward strands behind her ear as he hushed her._

 _Jamos leaned across the table and whispered to her, "I wish I was going sailing with you."_

 _The adults of course had rushed to apologize for the impropriety of their young children but Sanya Harkon gave him an impish smile, a smile he had never forgotten..._

"I've always wanted to run away and go sailing with you, Nya." He kissed the back of her injured hand. "But you really should have someone look at this. It's your knife throwing hand and you know you brought Jon aboard for good reason."

"Not him," she said more harshly than intended. "Lya was always pretty good with the needle."

"Aye, I'll go and get her." With another quick kiss on her bruised temple he rose to do just that.

He also ignored the nurse in his hurry and called over to the other deck. "Talya Harkon, the captain requests your return to her cabin!"

…

Thankfully the two ships were still lashed together but Talya sighed when she heard her name. She was rather enjoying this introductory conversation with the man she had agreed to marry.

And so, it seemed, was Yutton.

"You don't have to go," he implored. "You can stay here. I never wanted it to be like this." He waved at the cabin he was asking her to share while they were still yet unmarried. "I wanted to court you properly. I wanted to ask your father's permission and treat you the way you deserve but never got the chance."

He meant it. She could tell and her heart swelled. "At least we have a chance," she answered softly not quite able to meet his gaze. "But, I've got to go. She is my sister."

Yutton scowled. "Even if she's an unworthy…" He censored himself before he could do more damage.

"She _is_ my sister." Talya said primly, "and you will apologize to her for punching her in the face."

He gave her a wounded cog look and swallowed but nodded acceptance. "Aye, M'lady."

She nearly broke into a smile before she heard her name called again and excused herself with a little curtsy out of habit. Then she looked back at him. "Maybe it would be better if I stay with her… on our way to Bralyk Keep," she added hurriedly to let him know that was still where she still planned on heading.

Yutton nodded even though he looked a little disappointed. "We'll sail in convoy to make sure that no one overtakes your sister's ship while she's out of commission."

Talya was sure he also meant to keep an eye on the ship that was carrying his bride to his holdfast. "Thank you… Yutton."

…

While Talya treated her sister's wound she was aware of the quartermaster's things being removed from the captain's cabin to make room for her to stay. She didn't ask where Jamos, or Jak as she supposed he liked to be called now, was going to be staying. Perhaps he would be slinging a hammock in the medical bay with the nurse, Jon.

Talya had found Jon to be a very professional and knowledgeable healer. He had explained to her in very concise and clear terms how to go about cleaning and dressing the cut on Sanya's hand. She really couldn't understand why Sanya wouldn't just let the nurse do the job himself. Perhaps it had something to do with being sore over losing her first trusted healer.

Sanya had always been stubborn. It wasn't likely that her sister was going to dramatically affect the way things were run on her ship after only being on board a short time and she wouldn't be staying for long either.

Still Talya had to wonder at the way things were organized. Nothing on the _Bloody Galia_ was handled like it would have been on one of the ships of her father's fleet that she had traveled on when she was young or even like Yutton's ship that was now following them closely.

Talya couldn't be quite sure who was in charge. Jon the nurse seemed the most gentlemanly and that Markos Flint who had brought her aboard had at least some sway with the rest of the crew. Maybe because he had been a loyal member of the crew for so long? And then there was that woman who dressed in men's clothing and took the first mate's cabin for her own. What part did she play? None of the men seemed distracted or offended by her presence.

Most concerning perhaps was… Jak. Talya had been informed by the crew that Jamos and her sister had been sharing this cabin for the last few months, since they came up the river from Iziz. Even before that, however, they had been making eyes at each other for a year, since he came on board the morning after their sixteenth birthday.

At least she knew where he was now when he was supposed to have met her at the Salt Formation. Not that Talya blamed him. It was like she had always suspected. Jamos was in love with her sister and the crew of the _Bloody Galia_ seemed to take it all in stride that their captain and their quartermaster were… romantically involved.

Talya wanted to ask her sister about the relationship once they were alone and all the commotion of moving gear and treating wounds had been accomplished.

Sanya though was quicker on the draw and asked her question first, "How could you possibly agree to marry Yutton Bralykburn? You don't even like him!"

"It's true that I've never really had the chance to get to know him but I think the match will be for the best."

Her twin snorted.

"Nya, you don't understand how things have been at the Hall since you left." Talya began to explain about their father's debts and the rationing of food and heat and how Yutton's agreement to the scheme and his arrival had been to rescue her.

"So you're saying it was all my fault!" Sanya clenched her fists and then cried out from the pain to her recently stitched wound.

"No!" Talya dropped to her knees beside the berth where her sister lay. "I'm not saying that at all, no one is. It's Lord Blackwell's fault if it's anyone's. You were lucky enough to escape all that. He never intended either of us to marry Jamos. I believe," she tried out the name, "Jak's father let him go. He only ever wanted to get his hands on the Hall."

Sanya swore and started to rise, presumably to get to the deck and order a full assault on Blackhold. Dizziness and pain and nausea forced her back down onto the bunk.

Gently Talya swept the tangled strands of red hair from her sister's forehead and soothed her. "That's why I got in contact with… Yutton. I figured an alliance with another noble house would be our best chance. We may not be in love or… or even friends yet but not everyone has that luxury. Not like you and Jak."

"Me?" Sanya spat back. "In love with Jak Blackwell?"

Talya practically counted off the reasons on her fingers. "You live together. You work together. You fight together. You sleep together. You tell each other everything. You're already married in all but name!"

"It's not like that at all!"

"Why, have there been others?" There was a hint of worry in the more sheltered twin's question.

Sanya went for the full shock value. "Well, there was that one time when Kira suggested that the three of us…"

"The THREE of you?!" Talya provided the desired response. "and did you just say Kira?"

Sanya just glared at her refusing to answer any more questions on the subject.

"Nya, this is serious! What if you got some kind of disease? What if you got pregnant?"

"It's only been Jak," she allowed, more quietly. "I was his first as well. And we're not having any babies because Mhaegen, who was a proper medic not just a nurse, gave me some kind of medicine to keep that from happening. Do you think I'm kriffing stupid? Jak and I don't need to get married. We're fine as we are."

"It's not the same Nya," Talya implored. "There's something about being married that makes everything more real. You and Jak would just go back to normal except you'd be married. You would be one in the light of the salt gods."

"You and _Yutton_ and Mother and Father can keep all that uniting business. I'll stick with being unattached, thanks!"

"That ship has sailed, I'm afraid. You haven't been unattached since you gave yourself to Jak."

"I have not!"

Talya stood and walked to the door. She called out to the empty hallway, "Yutton, go throw that Jak Blackwell overboard. Turns out he and Sanya aren't attached after all, the lying osik."

"NO!" Sanya again attempted to bolt from her bunk. She didn't even notice her sister's use of the obscenity.

Talya sighed and went back to tuck her struggling twin back into bed. "Don't wear yourself out. You need rest. You know I wouldn't really do it?"

Sanya didn't answer. She was too busy trying to still the cabin's spinning.

"Rest, Nya. I'll come and check on you later," Talya offered as an apology with a kiss on her sister's forehead.

…

Out on the deck the air was brisk but Talya felt warm in her new fleece dress and she thought she understood a little of what drew her twin to this life on the sea. She stood at the rail and breathed in the fresh clean air.

It didn't take long for Jamos to sidle up to her. "So, what were you and Sanya saying about me?"

She rolled her eyes. Of course she would never reveal a confidence between sisters though it must have been obvious that he would have come up in their conversation. Instead of answering she asked him another question. "Do you still have the cog we brought to you all those years ago?"

"You remember that?"

"Well, Herron reminded me," she shrugged and then without any malice added, "after our betrothal was formalized. He wanted me to ask you when I got the chance."

"Look, about the betrothal." Jamos dithered, "It never would have worked out between you and me and I didn't mean…"

Talya patted his arm and smiled. "I know. I don't blame you. I would have gone along with it if... but maybe it's better this way." She looked out over the water to where Yutton's ship was sailing under the same wind and thought she might be able to see him on the deck hoping to catch sight of her.

Jamos was silent a while before he answered her inquiry. "I sort of passed down Wilson to Alon when he was born. Wilson was what I named the cog. He was a good cog. I couldn't bring him with me when I left."

"Do you miss him?"

"My nephew or the cog?" He laughed.

"I don't know, both."

He shrugged and squinted back out at the sun shining off the waves. "Been too busy to really think about it, I guess."

"Busy with Nya?"

Another shrug indicated his acceptance.

"You love her?"

It was obvious in everything he did and said. "Aye."


	28. A Toast To The Groom

This chapter goes out to Yutton Bralykburn. (and to my friend who has a birthday today, you know who you are :) )  
might be a little wordier than usual but it's National Novel Writing Month so gotta hit that 50,000 words!

* * *

Yutton was torn by the proposition of racing his ship ahead of the _Bloody Galia_ to make landfall at the Keep before the other craft. For one he wanted to have everything prepared for his bride. He had set things in motion before he had answered Talya Harkon's distress call knowing that she wouldn't be bringing much with her from the Hall. Even with the short notice he wanted her to have the wedding of a young girl's dreams. Not that he had any idea what that might be but he did have a vague assumption that young girls did set a store of hopes about such things from a young age. At least most girls would. He doubted that Sanya Harkon had anything in her head other than pillaging and violence.

His own bruises had faded during the sea journey towards the Keep but his lip that she had split still felt tender and he was thankful that those little fury filled fists had not managed to break his nose. The only good thing that had come from running into both of the Harkon sisters on his rescue mission, he surmised, was that Talya would have a proper family witness when they went to the salt formation to say their vows.

The both of them however, Talya and Sanya were at this moment on that other ship. Sanya was a piece of work but she was captain of that ship. Her men were loyal to her and only her injuries were keeping her from taking to the deck and ordering that they turn in the opposite direction from Bralyk Keep and taking his bride with them. He was convinced that Talya did want to honor their agreement but what if her sister wanted to 'rescue' her from another marriage opportunity?

He just had to have faith that Talya would stand up to her rogue twin and convince the rest of the crew to continue on to their destination. He called over to the other deck with an amplification trumpet saying that his crew were going to set their sails for more speed to reach the Keep ahead of them.

Then Talya herself called back from the Bloody Galia and his heart squeezed in his chest at the sound of her sweet voice. "We'll be along to follow you soon."

Now being out of sight of the other vessel he could only think of her voice, the touch of her hand, the way she looked in the dress he had given her with the stays pulled tight over her thin frame. Thin she might be from harsh living the last couple of years at the Hall but she still had the curves of a woman that hadn't been present when he attended the twins twelfth birthday. He thought of how his large hands could probably span her narrow waist.

He had a better idea now, having seen her in the dress he had already chosen, of what to tell the seamstress at the Keep about constructing a wedding dress. He wanted her to have something new and beautiful for the occasion although he was sure she would have looked amazing even if she had been forced to borrow something from her sister's wardrobe.

He would make sure she never had to resort to that. That was part of the reason he wanted to arrive ahead of his bride to the island. That and he had to check the progress of the work he had set the Flint masons to.

When the Blackwells had employed the Flint masons to a project a couple of generations ago it had been for a much darker purpose. Yutton and some of the older boys, before they had been suckered into that knife throwing competition all those years ago, had gone out to see the Blackhold sea stairs. The one way flight had supposedly led the entire Shechel clan ceremoniously to the salt gods. At the time they had all laughed and teased and pretended to push each other into the deep. But their joking had only been to cover their horror at the idea of the slaughter that had taken place.

Yutton's masonry project also led to the salt gods in a way but the intent was entirely different. He had commissioned a bridge that would cross the Bralykburn, the river from which their family had taken their name. Or perhaps the river was named after the family, he wasn't sure. The Keep castle was on one side of the river and the island's salt formation was on the other. Soon he would lead his bride to that salt formation to say their vows and if the work was completed as he certainly hoped it was, she wouldn't have to dampen a single toe.

It was all for Talya. And it was the sort of lasting construction that would outlive them. Their children's children's children would walk across this bridge and remember the consideration that Yutton Bralykburn had shown for his wife before they had even sworn their lives to each other.

Their children. He swallowed hard at the idea of making those children with her. She was beautiful and she was passionate and she was loyal. She would make an indominable Lady of Bralyk Keep, the only one he had ever considered.

He was down the gangplank before the ship had been tied off at the dock and raced through the town. First to the wine merchants because it happened to be on the way. He didn't go into the story of how the first bottle he purchased there had been smashed. He only asked for something more innocent and flavorful, not with a great alcohol content to make her think he was trying to intoxicate her, just something for the inexperienced wine drinker to enjoy with a light meal. He paid for the bottle with a smile and hurried on to his next stop.

He hardly wanted to put his unwashed hands on the fabric the dressmaker held out for him to inspect but she insisted he feel its softness. Talya would float like sea foam in such a garment. And he was assured it would be ready for a fitting as soon as she arrived.

He took the path north of the town to see the progress on the bridge before he made his way up to the castle and could not have been more pleased to see the last of the gleaming white stones being fitted into place. Yutton clapped the mason in charge on the shoulder and thanked him personally for the hard work in the time constraints he'd been given.

"So where's the girl?" Lord Bralykburn snidely welcomed his son.

"She's on her way. Her sister's ship should be docking on the evening tide."

"Oh ho! You've managed to get both of the tookas to follow you home. Well, if Blackwell didn't want to give them to the pair of his sons maybe you could just take both!"

Yutton wasn't really listening. At least he didn't honor the comment with a response. He was already headed up the stairs to his rooms.

In no galaxy would he ever want both of Harkon twins. He would content himself with a visit from Sanya if it meant that Talya could have a family witness at their wedding and if it made her happy after being parted for so long. Surely sweet Talya would have had enough of the nexu her twin had become by the time they arrived on Bralyk Keep.

And then he remembered what he had promised his bride to be, that he would apologize to Sanya for punching her in the face. Damn it to Dxun! Why did he have to promise that?

He had promised because he would do anything in the galaxy for Talya Harkon. She was his guiding star. He was sure now that she always had been. And just a few days ago when he had held her hand… he had wanted so badly to pull her more tightly into his arms and kiss her beautiful lips and he would tonight but only if she was ready.

Yutton turned the shower water from hot to cold as the thoughts nearly drowned him in expectation of consummating the vows they were about to proclame to one another.

They had hardly spent any time together. And he hadn't been lying when he told her he would have liked to court her properly. They could still do it that way he supposed. Of course they did need to say their vows as soon as possible. The announcement must go out to the entire north that Talya Harkon and Yutton Bralykburn were wed in the eyes of the salt gods and the appropriate witnesses.

But after that they could take things more slowly. He could provide her with her own room if that's what she wished. They could take walks. He could show her around the island that would be her home, introduce her to her new domain as the Lady of the Keep. And then when she was comfortable with her new home and with him then and only then would he suggest that they lie together as husband and wife.

He never should have even dreamed of sharing a cabin with her on the ship on the way here. It was a scandal and an insult to her good name. He should have slung that hammock up with the crew. That would have been the gentlemanly thing to do. He promised himself that in the future he would always attempt to see to her thoughts and wishes ahead of his own.

That done, he donned his best suit of clothes glancing out his bedroom window at the position of the sun and then at the chrono on his bedside table. The evening tide would be coming in soon and with it… Talya.

He ran from his room and down the stairs, stopping only for a brief detour in the kitchen to wrap a piece of cold luncheon meat in a piece of brown bread to eat on his way to the dock. He ran into the cook who had always had a soft spot for the heir of the Keep.

"Slow down, now. You'll choke yourself."

"She's on her way, Mason." Yutton grinned. With the cook he could show his true feelings more than he ever could with his father. "Will everything be in readiness for after the ceremony?"

"Of course, young master. You don't worry yourself about a thing. Just make sure and bring her 'round to meet us all once the rest of the necessaries have been satisfied." He raised an eyebrow meaningfully.

A bit of color might have risen to Yutton's cheeks but he ducked out of the kitchen with an, "I will." before anyone could notice.

He did slow down marginally as he exited the castle and made his way back through the town to the dock. As Mason the cook had said, he didn't want to choke on the afternoon before his wedding, and he didn't want to allow any of the crumbs to fall on his clean suit, and he didn't want to trip and go sprawling into the dirt before he met his bride and soil her first impression of the island.

Yutton raced to the dock as first one than another villager passed on the news that the _Bloody Galia_ was pulling into the port. It was a sight to be seen and Yutton wasn't the only curious spectator to be heading that direction.

He rode the tide of curious gawkers. That is until someone in the multitude recognized the lord's son. They had all heard the rumors by now of why this particular ship was arriving at their island. So the crowd began to part and they made way for the groom to meet his bride.

Was that her at the rail hoping for her first glimpse of her husband?

She disappeared as the ship came up to the dock and there was a flurry of activity on board with the crew throwing over lines, making fast sails, and lowering the gang plank. And then there she was ready to disembark, Talya Harkon in the green fleece dress Yutton had purchased for her.

He panicked for a moment wondering if it was really Sanya in disguise again. But then he remembered that he had given "the Knife" a few distinguishing features the last time they had met.

Talya appeared small and scared as she first looked out over the sea of faces but then she caught Yutton's gaze at the front of the crowd and her countenance brightened. The sun seemed to break through the clouds just at that moment and bathed her in light. As she descended to the dock she was like an angelic messenger being sent directly from the salt gods.

His heart caught in his throat and he didn't know if he would be able to answer her when she said softly, "Hello."

Yutton wouldn't have been able to hear her if a hush had not fallen over the assembly. He gathered his thoughts, cleared his throat, and prepared to return her greeting and welcome her to the island, to her new home. And then just as he opened his mouth another female, with hat pulled low over her bruised face, shoved her way between them and deposited an armload of cloth into his arms which he had just stretched out to take Talya's hands in his.

"Here," Sanya announced gruffly, "I won't be needing this anymore."

"Sanya!" her twin called after her with angry tears beading at the corners of her eyes for the offence.

"I'm going to get a drink!" Captain Harkon called back. "You can send someone for me when you need your witness!"

They watched speechless as Jamos Blackwell ran after her. And then Yutton looked down. The stench almost overpowered his senses. It was the dress that Sanya had borrowed when she impersonated her twin and attempted to murder him. It was still covered in her dried blood and puke. And after all the work he had gone to to clean himself up for his reunion with his bride.

"I'm sorry," Talya and Yutton said almost in unison and then some sainted soul gestured to take his unpleasant burden so that he could resume his conversation. He was never sure quite who it was but the people of the dockside town of the island of Bralyk Keep were all happy for his finally finding the woman who would be their Lady.

Even devested of his handful, Yutton still hesitated to reach out to Talya with soiled hands. He brushed them against his now not so clean suit of clothes but again his intended surprised him by looking past the filth and taking one of his hands in hers.

"I'm glad to finally be here."

For a moment he couldn't speak he only stared at the small pale hand in his own. Then he smiled. "I'm so glad… I have so much to show you and I have everything planned but first I should really get cleaned up and you'll probably want to too. But first well… come with me."

She uttered a small nervous giggle in response and nodded, "Aye."

It made his heart do flip flops in his chest.

Again the crowd parted and allowed them to pass but neither the bride nor the groom seemed to notice their following. They were too busy staring at each other.

He led her to the dressmaker who's nose wrinkled when she saw the state of Yutton's once spotless suit of clothes. She gestured with a nod of her head to where the groom could find a place to clean up and change into something more suitable.

Yutton really didn't want to leave Talya's side now that they were together and she looked a little worried to be left among strangers as well. Still it was traditional that the groom not see the bride in her dress before the wedding and he wanted her to have as proper a wedding as possible. "I hope you like what I picked out."

"I'm sure it will be lovely. I already know you have wonderful taste." She took the skirt of the green dress she was wearing between her delicate fingers and gave a little twirl.

"And I'd say you judged the size very closely as well. I'll hardly have to do any alterations." The seamstress smiled before she shooed Yutton away.

"I'll see you at the salt formation then?" He asked Talya with a measure of hesitation.

"I'll be there."

…

Yutton was hesitant to enter the pub after he had just cleaned himself up for the second time that day but when he saw the faces of the men sitting at the tables around the dining room he was sure they would take the side of their lord's son rather than the uppity female who sat at the bar. She didn't seem to notice the hostility that surrounded her but then maybe she was used to that sort of thing as the only female captain to ever sail the Onderonian northern sea.

"Sanya Harkon," Yutton called out.

"Aye?" she answered without turning to look at him.

"Your sister is at the dressmaker and will need to be escorted to meet me at the salt formation when she's ready." He said it as evenly and politely as he could under the circumstances.

She didn't speak, taking another swig of her drink.

It was Jamos Blackwell, sitting beside her, who looked back and forth between them and then responded for his captain, "We'll make sure she gets there."

Yutton gave a nod and then thinking of Talya's dream wedding again added. "If you'd like to change into something there as well…"

"I'm comfortable in what I've got on, thanks." Sanya emptied her mug and then turned on her stool to look at him. She removed her hat as if that was all the consideration he was going to get and her long red hair, so like Talya's, fell loose over her shoulders. It seemed she had at least had a bath in honor of her sister's special day but she wanted it plain, in that moment, before witnesses, exactly what the groom had done to her. The skin around her left eye was still dark purple and greenish though the swelling had gone down. And her right hand was still swathed in bandages.

The accusation was loud and clear without her having to utter a word. If he was capable of doing this to a woman, how was he going to treat his wife? It had long been rumored that his father was a wife beater. She had died rather young hadn't she, after only giving him one son? It wasn't much of a stretch to suggest that such a violent tendency might run in the family.

Yutton of course was nothing like his father. He would never lay a finger on Talya in anger. He would worship her like the goddess she was.

It was Sanya who was the special case. She had always wanted to be treated like a man so Yutton had behaved towards her like he would any other captain he might have a quarrel with, especially one who came between him and the woman he loved.

Still, Talya had asked him to apologize. She had made him promise, actually. Whether she was here to witness it or not he knew it was a matter of character and the telling of it would surely get back to her that he had kept his word.

Yutton swallowed down his pride, clenched his jaw and spoke. "I apologise for striking you. What began as self defense became… something more heated and I have no excuse. It won't happen again."

"Aye?" She uttered it as half a question with raised eyebrows. But seeing his sincerity and hearing her sister's side of things Sanya also decided to drown the hatchet. "Likewise," she mumbled grudgingly.

Jamos reached over to squeeze her shoulder in approval but she shrugged him off. What sort of relationship did those two have? Yutton wondered. It didn't take a genius to see who wore the pants.

He didn't comment. He only gave them a slight nod of a bow. "I'll see you both at the salt formation then, in about a standard hour?"

Sanya turned on her stool and went back to her empty mug gesturing for a refill.

Jamos spoke for the both of them, "Aye. We'll make sure the bride is there on time."


	29. To the Bride

had this mostly done for a month now and just needed a kick in the shebs to finish it up. thanks for that, LS! now i present to you the wedding of Talya Harkon and Yutton Bralykburn!

* * *

After Yutton had left and before the bartender could fulfill Sanya's request Jak placed his hand over the top of her mug. "Maybe we should wait till after the blessed event to continue the celebration?"

"If you say so," she grumbled.

Really though, Sanya was glad of the excuse. Maybe it was still the concussion playing havoc with her constitution but the alcohol didn't seem to be sitting as well on her stomach as it normally did. She wouldn't be seen in public turning down a drink but if her quartermaster suggested it as a consideration for her sister, then that was alright.

She let Jak ask directions to the dressmakers where they could find Talya and they made their way there through the maze of streets. She wasn't prepared for the emotions that welled up inside her at the sight of Talya in that white gown smiling and ready to go out and meet her groom.

Thankfully the twins were alone in the dressing room of the shop when Sanya's chin started to wobble and her eyes filled with tears. She grabbed her sister and pulled her into a rough hug so even Talya wouldn't see her weakness.

"You look beautiful," the younger twin croaked. "Course you always do, in whatever."

"Nya?" Talya held her back at arms' length and quickly Sanya quickly wiped her eyes and nose on her sleeve.

"Guess he's not so bad." Sanya still didn't like Yutton as far as she could aim one of her knives at him but that didn't mean he'd be a bad husband to her sister. "He apologized for this." She gestured toward her bruised eye with her bandaged hand.

"That was very kind of him," Talya didn't mention that she had asked him to, but she would thank him for it later. She wanted to ask if Sanya had also apologized for her own behavior as she had been strongly urged when Talya had a captive audience in the captain's cabin of the _Bloody Galia_ but she chose to save that conversation for another time.

"Aye." Sanya nodded. The kriffing tears were still threatening and though it might not be so bad to let them flow here, once they left this room she absolutely would not show such girly behavior. "So, you really wanna go through with this?" She asked.

Talya smiled compassionately grabbed a tissue from the table that was obviously put there for emotional brides who might need them but worked just as well for overwrought sisters. She wiped away Sanya's tears being extra careful around the bruising. "Aye."

Talya thought she might know what this was all about, having seen the way Jak doted over Sanya through the recovery of her injuries and the way she trusted him to keep the crew in line and everything running smoothly on her ship. It was as she always expected. They were obviously meant to be together. And… seeing her sister finally going to the salt formation maybe Sanya was starting to have thoughts about making things official with her love?

As if reading her thoughts Sanya gestured with her thumb towards the front of the shop. "Jak's waiting out there for us. We're gonna walk you out to… you know."

"Aye." Talya took a deep breath waiting for a sense of trepidation that never came. How was it that she had become the strong one today? Well, she was still to be the first married woman of the two of them. Maybe that counted for something. Or maybe it was just a different kind of bravery. "I'm ready."

Sanya went to get the dressmaker for one more check of her creation but when Talya finally emerged in her wedding gown she was amused to see that Jamos Blackwell still only had eyes for the scruffy pirate.

Talya smiled at them both, "Will you please escort me to the salt formation?"

Sanya looked somber, her hat pulled once again down over her eyes, whether to cover her bruises or her tears, Talya wasn't sure. She stood on one side of her sister while Jak nobly took up his place on the other side and offered his arm to the bride.

"I'm glad you're both here with me." Talya told her silent guardians while they walked. The crowd had lined the streets to see their future Lady make her processional. They never had to ask which way to go because the way was marked out for them.

When she didn't get a response she spoke again quietly so that only Jak and Nya could hear her. "And I'm glad that the two of you have each other rather than me being the one to meet you at the salt formation, Jak."

He looked up at the use of his preferred moniker and glanced across her toward Sanya but Sanya looked away before they could make eye contact.

To Talya's surprise, when they left the town proper there was still a steady line of watchers on either side of the path and when she looked down at her feet she saw that flower petals had been strewn over the cobbles. It was beautiful and would have taken some forethought on Yutton's part. But he had also picked out her dress and had it ready for her arrival.

Still Talya didn't react emotionally, though she heard a sniff from beneath the brim of the hat next to her. She also felt the arm holding hers tense on her other side. She was fairly sure that Jak would rather be escorting Nya to the salt formation for their own saying of vows. She would definitely have to see about arranging something after the prior event.

And then all thoughts of matchmaking flew from her head like so many mollymauks. Yutton was waiting for her, standing atop a newly constructed stone bridge.

Jak let go of her arm and stepped back so she could walk the rest of the way on her own.

Yutton held out his hand to lead her the rest of the way and she took it without hesitation. She was still amazed at how natural it felt for his large calloused fingers to close tightly around her smooth smaller digits. "You did this all for me?" she asked him, amazed.

"It's what you deserved, and much more." He laid her hand on his arm and covered it with his own, drawing her as closely as he could to his side. "I only wish we could have done the planning together and that the rest of your family could be present."

"At least I have Sanya here." Talya looked over her shoulder at her sister. "After being apart from her for so long, I never dared hope that she would be with me on my wedding day."

"I would have of course gotten a cousin or something to witness our vows if she couldn't be here." Yutton assured her. "I wouldn't have allowed our ceremony to be unlawful."

She smiled back at him sweetly. "You thought of everything."

When she looked at him that way his heart constricted in his chest and he couldn't help but think of the other matter that would truly seal their vows. They must become one in the light of the salt gods soul and body. She was beautiful and he wanted her but he would never force himself on her. If she wasn't ready, they would wait. But salt gods when she looked at him that way, he was sure he could win her heart as she had already won his.

"Ah here they are." A gruff voice disturbed the moment of silent passion that seemed to be passing between them. "And all the proper witnesses." It was Lord Bralykburn waiting at the salt formation with the minister. "What ho? Do I spy even a Blackwell? Did the Lord of the whole kriffing north decided to grace us with a representative?"

Jamos opened his mouth to speak but Sanya beat him to it. "Shut your kriffing face Bralykburn. We're here for my sister not for you."

"Ah the wench." Lord Bralyburn was not one to refuse a challenge on his own island. "Washed up with the flotsam onto our shores."

She wanted to shut him up personally but Jamos threw out a hand to hold her back. "Let's not spill any blood on Talya's special day."

It was that and for no other reason that she didn't claw his eyes out with or without a functioning knife throwing hand.

But Talya and Yutton ignored every one of the guests. They turned to the minister side by side and held out their hands to be wrapped together while they spoke the binding words.

As soon as the words were spoken and the bride and groom kissing in each other's arms Sanya lightly smacked Jak's shoulder. "That's all they need us for. Let's go."

"Don't you want to -?"

"Stick around and think about Bralykburn kriffing my sister?" She grit her teeth. "Not likely."

"Don't," Lord Bralykburn spoke again even though no one wanted to hear him. "The reception has been prepared back at the Keep. I'm sure we can find a couple of rooms for you and your _companion,_ Miss Harkon."

"It's Captain!" She snapped. "And we don't need two rooms. One is plenty."

Talya turned from her new husband with a sigh. "Nya it wouldn't be seemly."

"I've had to share with you the whole way here."

"News of it will get back to Blackhold…" Talya may have been trying to keep her voice low but her sister saw no need.

Sanya snorted. "Well if you're so worried about appearances we'll just go back to the ship!"

She grabbed Jak's hand and started to pull him in the direction of the docks but before they could turn around a gauzy object settled over her head and Sanya was so startled she actually stopped. What in - it was the binding cloth which had been wrapped around Talya and Yutton's hands!

"Or," Talya said in a more authoritarian voice than Sanya had ever heard her use. "You could just get married here and now?"

Sanya tore the net from her head and tossed it back at her sister. "Thanks, but no thanks."


	30. From Your Sister: Always By Your Side

okay so it's been a while. we'll pick up the morning after Talya and Yutton's wedding. You may have noticed that the end of that last chapter was the origin of the northerners' tradition of the bride and groom 'casting the net' and the couple that would be 'caught up' destined to be the next to go to the salt formation. Do you suppose that will work out in this primary case? wait and see...

* * *

Sanya woke in her own berth, in her own cabin, on her own ship. Jak was still lying asleep beside her.

She gently swept a lock of his wavy black hair out of his face and smiled. He only stirred slightly and mumbled her name.

So they hadn't needed the Lord of the Keep to let them share a room in his castle. And who cared if the proprietor of that fancy inn hadn't wanted to rent out to an unmarried couple? They had still spent the night together.

It had seemed like such a long time since they had picked up Talya and then her sister had kicked Jak out of the cabin while the captain was recuperating from her injuries. He was back where he belonged now and he didn't even seem to mind that her body was still tender and swollen from the fight.

Sanya rubbed her stomach. She didn't remember receiving any body blows so it felt strange that's where she would still be feeling the most discomfort. Maybe Yutton had given her a good kick after she had already fallen unconscious. She wouldn't put it past him. She didn't really want to think of what he was capable of, knowing that Talya was alone with him right now.

And yet that was the reason they were still moored in the Bralyk Keep harbor. Sanya wasn't about to sail away until she knew that Talya was alright in her new position as Lady of the Manor.

The captain of the _Bloody Galia_ was going to march right up to that castle gate and demand to see her sister. And if Talya Harkon… Talya _Bralykburn_ that is, had a single bruise on her body Sanya was going to gut that worthless chirn and the rest of his miserable household just like the Blackwells did so many years ago to the Shechel Clan.

She slipped out of bed and began to dress. Then she began to whistle, positively giddy about the idea of meeting out vengeance on anyone who might harm her sister. She pulled on her boots and then started to strap on her collection of various knives. All of this was an accomplishment on her own considering her hand was still bandaged from the cuts she had suffered from the wine bottle during her fight.

After a while Jak woke and sat up. He sat there with nothing but the sheet covering him to the waist and grinned at her happy mood. "And where are you off to on this fine morning, oh my captain."

She smiled back at him and pointed to her favorite dagger lying on the ledge beside the berth where he was lounging.

He handed it to her and she inserted it into its special sheath at her hip.

Then she leaned over and kissed him. "I'm going to go kill Bralykburn."

He laughed thinking she must be joking. "Any one of them in particular?" He asked.

"Any one of them who comes between me and my sister." She was deadly serious and she headed towards the door of the cabin.

"Now hold on there!" Jak scrambled to stand and hold the sheet up to cover himself as she opened the door and stepped out onto the deck. "Nya!" He followed after her wrapping the sheet more securely around his waist as he went. "Nya, have you thought about the fact that your sister _is_ a Bralykburn now? She might take offense to your dispatching her new kin."

Sanya spun on her heel to face him paying no attention to the audience they were gathering. "Well, if they let me in to see her and she is in good enough condition to inform me of that herself then they won't have a problem, will they?"

She marched determinedly towards the gangplank.

"Captain!" Jak rushed forward only to have the trailing fabric catch on something. He had to stop to yank it free and rearrange his makeshift kilt before continuing in the chase. When he had managed that, he looked up to see that Sanya had stopped at the ship's rail and hadn't advanced down to the dock. He went to see what in salt gods names might have actually caused her to desist.

He came to stand beside her and she pointed with her bandaged hand at the procession that was making its way through the town from the castle to the harbor.

Looked like she wouldn't have to hunt down Yutton Bralykburn. He and Talya led the way to the harbor hand in hand and both blushing fiercely whenever they looked at each other.

Sanya stepped forth to intercept her sister when they reached the docks, but Talya wasn't having it. In quite possibly the greatest social snub anyone had gotten away with giving to Sanya Harkon, Talya turned her back on her sister in favor of kissing her husband. It was a modest kiss, but it was most definitely not chaste and left no doubt as to what the bride and groom had done after their reception last night.

Talya smiled at the completely starstruck Yutton and then deigned to speak to Sanya: "We're going to Harkon Hall to announce our marriage to the family in person," she said. "You and Jak should meet us there. I'm sure they'll approve of the two of you being together. He's a Blackwell after all. I was supposed to be betrothed to him before you went off."

Yutton cracked a grin as if thanking the salt gods that arrangement hadn't panned out and Sanya reached for her favorite blade. The nerve of him!

"Nya." Talya grabbed Sanya's arm, and squeezed. "I won't have you pulling blades in the presence of our family."

Sanya forced down the revulsion that she was now tied however loosely to the house of Bralykburn in favor of speaking to Talya. "How can you do this?" she hissed. "How can you become one of _them?_ You've handed yourself over to them and become like...like a piece of property!"

"Excuse me?" Talya's voice was low and dangerous. None of those assembled had ever heard it before but Yutton knew to take a step back.

Sanya did not. "You said it yourself! 'I am his…'"

"And then I followed it with 'and he is mine!'" Talya snapped. "Yutton and I promised to face the world together. We are a partnership, and you can't talk about my husband the way you… I won't allow it." She took a deep breath and in a second was again the picture of calm and collection. "I've never said anything about the choices you've made, and I ask you to show me the same respect. Now Yutton and I are going to the Hall. You may follow us if you like."

Sanya picked up her jaw from the dock just in time before the newlyweds walked right past her. "Aye."

"Great. We'd love to have you. Oh, and Jak?" Talya turned her sweet gaze in his direction. "Please, find something to wear."

Sanya reached out to stop her sister but only got a handful of the scarf that was draped artfully around her neck. It became immediately apparent however, that fashion and the chill in the air were not the garment's primary function.

Talya quickly raised a hand to cover the small purplish mark that graced the spot just above the pulse point on her throat. Sanya's intent became more urgent. She yanked her sister a ways away from the others and hissed, "He did hurt you, didn't he? I'll kill him!"

"Nya," Talya attempted to explain once again with an exasperated sigh. "No, he didn't." She was a little more flustered now saying these things out loud but she knew that her sister wouldn't let it be. She kept her voice low. "Not any more than what I knew to expect the first time… Dalla told me all about… what mother never prepared us for."

Sanya shrugged knowing this to be true. Her own education on the subject had come from whores before the first time she and Jak shared a bed.

"Besides," Talya pushed her sister's hair back over her shoulder revealing a similar bruise that hadn't been there the previous day. "I'm not the only one who was marked while in a man's passionate embrace last night."

Sanya pulled away and shook her head so that her hair would fall back over the love bite Jak had given her and her black eye. That was none of Talya's business and she was about to say so before she heard the tone shift in her sister's voice.

"Nya, when my… husband and I became one, I began to understand the attachment that you and Jak share." She looked back towards where the men were standing waiting for them. Jak hadn't retreated to his cabin on the ship to dress but was still standing there watching them with a ruping stare. "He loves you. I believe he always has. The match that our parents had planned between him and I would have never worked, but the two of you… Please come back to the Hall with us."

"Maybe," Sanya mumbled. "If we're sailing that direction anyway."

…

"We should follow them, you know," Jak said back in their cabin after he'd located his clothes and the _Bloody Galia_ had left Bralyk Keep behind. "We could stop by the Hold and tell my family as well."

"Why, so we can watch your Lord father boil over with rage?" she scoffed. "He won't react pleasantly."

"We could give him something to react pleasantly about." He took her hands in his own. "We should get married."

"Jak, I…"

"You wouldn't have to wear a dress." He smirked. "You wouldn't have to wear anything. There's this hot spring at Blackhold and we could go skinny dipping and say the words and it would still be in the light of the salt gods."

"Jak, be serious." She rolled her eyes.

"I am serious. Our families wouldn't be opposed to our marriage."

Her voice dropped almost to a whisper. "Aye, that's what scares me."


End file.
